


Heavy

by Morrigayn_DeWyvern



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: M/M, Mech Preg, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-23
Updated: 2014-08-06
Packaged: 2018-02-10 03:40:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 20,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2009571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morrigayn_DeWyvern/pseuds/Morrigayn_DeWyvern
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after Con Job and wanders in AU.  I decided to do something for Bulkhead.  He is a very lonely ‘bot both in cannon and fannon.  Poor fellow doesn’t see much action no matter what ‘verse he is in.  Go to wondering what it was like in the Wreckers vs. Team Prime.  This is what I came up with.  Mentions of Bulkhead X Wheel Jack and other Wreckers and Bulkhead X Ratchet.  Mechpreg and angst.  Graphic Sticky in later chapters.</p><p>I don’t own Transformers.  I make no money off of my writing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Bulkhead was very subdued after Wheel Jack had left orbit. Not even Miko could get a smile to grace his face plates. For orns thereafter, Bulkhead threw himself into his job or was in recharge. He rarely hung out with Miko or any of the children, and when he did, Bulkhead was quiet. Miko had to catch a ride with Bee after school most days. The pall that the large, green Wrecker exuded was smothering everyone.

Optimus was very worried and took his worries to Ratchet, “Old Friend, you are going to have to run some tests on Bulkhead. He is suffering from deep depression. He recharges all the time, and his energon consumption is elevated. Yesterday, out on patrol, Bulkhead ran off the road from a bout of vertigo. Whatever is going on is physical as well as spark.”

“That damned Wheel Jack is the fault for all of this. Bulkhead was just fine till that Wrecker showed up.” Ratchet groused to hide his worries. He’d seen Bulkhead nod off into recharge with a cube of energon in his hand which was very unlike the large, green ‘bot.

Optimus ventilated deeply, “Be that as it may, Bulkhead is a very integral part of our team and whatever is wrong with Bulkhead is compromising the effectiveness and safety of our team.”

Ratchet nodded and pinged Bulkhead as he went to the medbay. Bulkhead did not answer. Ratchet then went to Bulkhead’s recharge room and keyed in the override code. Bulkhead was laying on his side facing the wall deep in recharge. Ratchet flicked the lights on. Bulkhead never moved.

Ratchet shook the large mech’s shoulder roughly, “Get up, you big lug nut!”

Bulkhead came out of recharge and snarled, “Frag off, Ratchet! I am not on duty.” Bulkhead turned back toward the wall.

“Optimus wants me to run some tests on you. Get up, or I’ll get Optimus to drag your heavy aft into the medbay!” Ratchet growled.

Bulkhead flinched at Ratchet’s words and slowly got up and threw Ratchet a sullen glower. Bulkhead stomped after Ratchet but said nothing.

“Get up on the medberth.” Ratchet ordered as soon as the medbay doors closed. Bulkhead threw himself on the medberth with a loud crash and stared at the ceiling. Ratchet began to run scans and stiffened as the results rolled up on the holoscreen.

“Open up your armor, Bulkhead.” Ratchet requested. He wanted to do manual examination of Bulkhead’s protoform. The scanners had to have made a mistake. Ratchet gently prodded around Bulkhead’s feeding lines. The feeding nubs were slightly swollen, and Bulkhead hissed at the pressure. Ratchet then put pressure on the large bot’s abdomen feeling for the telltale signs of a full gestational chamber. 

“Well Pit, Bulkhead you are sparked. About a third of the way through your first quarter of Carrying. How did this happen?” Ratchet was surprised.

Bulkhead gave him a very bitter look. “Virgin Birth, Ratchet. How else? It’s not like any of you would want to interface with a big, ugly, clumsy, stupid Wrecker?” Bulkhead spat angrily with tears falling down his face-plates as he roughly pushed a very surprised Ratchet out of the way. Ratchet could hear Bulkhead transform and tear out of the base.

Ratchet had to do a very quick internet search for the term “Virgin Birth” and pinged Prime, “We got a problem!”

Optimus entered the medbay. “What is it?”

“Bulkhead is sparked.”

The Prime just stared at Ratchet and shuttered his optics a few times, “What?” Optimus couldn’t wrap his processor around the idea of anyone wanting to interface with Bulkhead much less Bulkhead Carrying.

“Apparently, Wheel Jack left a parting gift. When I asked Bulkhead about it, he just said Virgin Birth right before he ran out in tears.” Ratchet said quietly. 

Prime looked confused, “Virgin Birth?”

“A common theme in many religious myths of the humans. Usually a young maiden, less often a male, gets pregnant without a partner usually by means of supernatural or deity intervention that is not sexual in nature.” Ratchet explained. “He is very aware that we all find him unattractive and won’t interface with him.”

Optimus mouth hung open in shock, “No one has ever said that…”

Ratchet gave him a measured look, “Optimus, you and I have been interfacing for a long time. It is a friendship with benefits as humans say. Arcee took Bee’s seals, and the little mech has been insatiable since then seeking Arcee out anytime they are both off duty…well we do know her opinion of Bulkhead.”

Optimus looked ashamed. It had never crossed his processor that the green Wrecker was lonely or hungry for interface…foolish on his part since even a mech as old as Ratchet still had a strong interface drive. Optimus ventilated heavily.  
“I’ll go find Bulkhead and talk with him.” Optimus turned to leave. He easily found Bulkhead’s EM signature on the map on his HUD.

Bulkhead was tearing along the desert floor at speeds that were not safe for him or the sparklet orbiting his spark, but the pain was just too great. When his HUD started pinging him with warnings of overheating, Bulkhead came to a skittering halt his tires throwing sand and pebbles everywhere. He quickly transformed into his root mode and collapsed on his knee joints and hands ventilating heavily to cool his internals. Bulkhead slowly leaned back and looked to the sky. He had unthinkingly driven to the spot where Wheel Jack had landed and taken off.

“I wish I had gone with you.” Bulkhead whispered to the stars.

Optimus drove to where his map showed Bulkhead had come to an abrupt stop. He transformed from his truck mode and quietly walked up to Bulkhead who was sitting with his knees drawn to his face-plates. Bulkhead jerked at the sound of footfalls and turned to see his Prime as he settled himself beside the green Wrecker. Both mechs sat in contemplative silence for a few breems.

Bulkhead ventilated deeply and broke the silence, “Ratchet told ya?”

“Yes, Bulkhead. Ratchet told me you are sparked. I am assuming Wheel Jack is the Sire?”

Bulkhead snorted at Prime’s delicate question. “Well, it certainly wasn't any of Team Prime.”

Optimus winced at the bitter tone and laid a hand on the large Wrecker’s shoulder strut. Bulkhead shrugged him off. “I don’t need ya pity, Prime. I know how you all feel about me…a good friend…a good soldier…but not a good frag.”  
Then in a softer tone Bulkhead added, “But yeah, the sparklet is Wheel Jack’s.”

Bulkhead fell silent as he remembered that night. Optimus noticed the faraway look in Bulkhead’s optics. The children had been sent home after Wheel Jack had regaled them with his stories. When Arcee, Bee and Bulkhead had returned, they had found that Jackie had brought out some Praxian high grade that was trillions of years old and was passing out cubes. Ratchet eagerly took a cube and moaned in deep pleasure at the smooth, full bodied taste of the vintage grade. Arcee and Bee had never had Praxian high grade and were eager to try it. Even Prime had a cube of the rare vintage. Bulkhead had noticed when the effects of overcharge began to affect his team. Bee was chirring and clicking in the Cybertronian equivalent of giggles and nuzzling Arcee. Arcee who was none to steady on her peds pulled Bee out of the Rec. Room to her quarters whispering in Bee’s audios with a wicked look on her face-plates. Ratchet downed his cube and gave Optimus a smoldering look and quietly left the Rec. Room. Prime sat for a moment longer making small talk with Jackie and Bulkhead before slowly rising and leaving with a few quiet good nights. Bulkhead went from being chipper and talkative to silent and maudlin as he watched his teammates leave. Jackie had been prattling on about his adventures since he’d last seen Bulkhead when he noticed his friend’s shoulders were hunched and his helm was hung low. Jackie had laid a hand on his friend’s large shoulder.

“What’s wrong, Bulk?”

Bulkhead made a small buzzing sound in his voice coder, “Same old thing; different orn. They are going to frag each other senseless. Arcee took Bee’s seals a few orns back. Little mech can’t get enough of her. Can always tell when she tops him…he walks funny for days. Ratchet is going to frag Optimus through the berth…”

Jackie laughed at that, “Really, a submissive Prime?”

Bulkhead shrugged, “I accidentally walked in on them one day in the wash racks. Definitely not on my need to know list…TMI. Guess he needs a place where he doesn’t need to be in control.”

Jackie had a smoldering look in his optics, “And you, Bulk? You are getting any of the Hatchet, Bee, ‘Cee or Prime?”

Bulkhead flinched like he’d been shot. “No. I haven’t been touched since I left the Wreckers. I have raised self stimulation to a fine art, Jackie. They all think I am ugly or a drone that doesn't want or need interfacing…”

Jackie made a dismissive sound and shook his helm. “They don’t know what they are missing.”

Jackie grabbed Bulkhead and began to kiss him ferociously. Bulkhead returned this kiss with equal intensity. Bulkhead stood and yanked Jackie with him to his berth room. They never made it the berth. With a loud crash they fell to the floor and came together in a fierce storm of need and affection.

Bulkhead shook himself from the reverie, “Didn't plan on this happening. I thought my plug at the cervical port to my gestation chamber was sound. I haven’t interfaced with anyone since I left the Wreckers…didn't think about it being cracked.” Bulkhead shrugged. “Now I have to figure out what to do. Jackie is long gone and probably won’t be back for vorns; we are in the middle of a war and I am alone.”

“You are not alone, Bulkhead. You have all of us…”

“Come off it, Prime. Arcee and Bee are so wrapped up in each other; they are practically welded at the hip. You go to Ratchet when you need to get fragged through a berth or need companionship so please don’t patronize me, Optimus.”

Optimus ventilated deeply, “I can only apologize for ignoring your needs, Bulkhead, and try to do better going forward. I cannot change the past. The whole team will be here to support you and your child.”

Bulkhead just shrugged. “I don’t even know if it is physically possible to keep it, Prime. Ratchet doesn’t even begin to have a proper medical bay or supplies. Might be better for everyone if I terminate it.”

Bulkhead shivered at his own words. He really did not want to destroy the sparklet. It was the only bit of Wheel Jack left he could hold on to and love.

Prime stiffened, “NO!”

Bulkhead jumped at loudness of Optimus’ voice.

Optimus was trembling with deep emotion and finally spoke, “Bulkhead, please do not terminate the child. There are so few of us scattered among the stars. While the sparklet is not planned, its life is precious. I swear by Primus, the All Spark and the Matrix, I will do everything within my being to assist you as will the team. Please?”

Bulkhead just shook his helm, “I can’t say, Prime. I want the sparkling, but I won’t raise it among bots who think I am not worth the energon I consume nor have its life put in danger due to this war. I don’t think I can get the supplements I need to carry successfully nor do we have the energon to increase my rations…I already consume more than any two of you combined.”

Optimus was spark broken to hear Bulkhead’s estimation of his worth and the worth of his sparkling. Optimus pulled the large Wrecker against him. Bulkhead struggled to get free of the Prime. Optimus would not let him go. Bulkhead finally relented and fell against Optimus chest plates. Optimus flared his EM fields to soothe the large bot and slowly ran his hands up and down Bulkhead’s large back. Bulkhead shuddered in need for touch and whimpered against Optimus neck cables.

“I never want to hear you speak so lowly of yourself again, Bulkhead. You are very important and integral to our team. I am sorry that you have felt neglected and unwanted amongst the ‘bots here. I don’t think it was the intention of any of us to make you feel that way.”

Bulkhead did not respond. He didn’t really believe Optimus’ words but was too weary to argue anymore. The Prime’s sparkbeat was lulling him into recharge as was the Prime’s gentle touches and EM field.

Optimus noticed Bulkhead was falling into recharge and gently roused him. “Let’s get back to base and talk to Ratchet about what you need to carry.”

Bulkhead nodded sleepily and made to rise. Optimus helped the large bot to his feet and pinged Ratchet. “Open a ground bridge, Ratchet. We are ready to come home.”

The ground bridge opened in a flash. Optimus and Bulkhead walked through and the ground bridge winked out in a brilliant flash.

Ratchet was relieved when both mechs walked through the ground bridge. He immediately noticed Bulkhead’s low energy levels. “Let’s get you to medbay, Bulkhead, and get some energon and additives into you.”  
Bulkhead just nodded and followed Ratchet. Prime made up the rear. Ratchet gave a large cube of adulterated energon to Bulkhead. 

“Here, drink this. It has Cybertronium and other minerals and ores you and your sparkling need. You are going to need to drink two large cubes of the medical grade energon in addition to your normal rations.”

“Ratchet, do we have enough energon and additives for me to carry?” Bulkhead asked as he drained the cubes. He was ravenous and his systems immediately began to absorb and break down the nutrients.

“We have plenty of energon, Bulkhead, even for your carrying. Earth is mineral and ore rich with the exception of Cybertronium. We can smelt down the remains of Autobot and Decepticon ships that are on the planet to get the Cybertronium you need, Bulkhead.”

Bulkhead slumped down on a medical berth. “Why are you bothering, Ratchet? You don’t even like me. You always complain I break too much stuff and use too much energon. It might be best to terminate it so it won’t be another drain on resources.”

Ratchet looked gob smacked. His mouth plates hung open and his optics looked like they were going to roll out of his helm. He had to clear his vocalize twice before he could speak and his tone was brusque and thick, “Bulkhead, I never said I didn't like you. We have so little in the way of supplies that anything that is broken is hard to replace, but that doesn't mean I don’t like you or that I would want you or your sparkling to suffer…I am short tempered and foul mouthed to everyone, Bulkhead, but that is not a reason for you to want to terminate your child.”

Ratchet was horrified at the implications of what Bulkhead was saying. In a flash of his processor, he now understood why Bulkhead so rarely came to Ratchet for maintenance or repairs even after battle, and it was a battle to get him to take full rations for a mech his size. He grabbed Bulkhead by his shoulder struts and looked him deep in the optics, “Bulkhead, you are never to deny yourself the energon rations or the repair and maintenance you need and deserve. All are one, Bulkhead. I may be old and cranky, but I believe that down to my very spark. I never want to find out you have been starving yourself or refusing maintenance or medical treatment again. Do you want the sparkling?”

Bulkhead looked very surprised at Ratchet’s emotional speech and slowly nodded. “Then I swear by Primus you’ll have the best care I can provide, and all the support as a friend I can give.”

Ratchet gently patted the large, green mech on his shoulder struts, “Why don’t you go lie down and recharge. You are going to need a lot more recharge than normal as your sparklet’s spark chamber is forming in your gestational tank, and the sparklet is maturing in your spark chamber. After the first quarter of carrying, the sparklet will split from your spark and descend into its spark chamber via the conduit into your gestational chamber. After that, you won’t be so exhausted. You’ll be off combat duty going forward.”

Bulkhead quietly thanked Ratchet and left the medbay for his recharge room looking lost in thought. Perhaps he wasn’t as unwanted as he thought. 

Ratchet noticed Optimus quietly observing all that had transpired in the medbay. Ratchet made a small sound of pain, “I am a doctor oath sworn to Primus to aid and heal. How did it come to this? A ‘Bot in my care refuses treatment and wants to terminate his sparkling. Have I fallen so low, Optimus, in my duties that one of our team would rather suffer and let his sparking die rather than come to me?”

Optimus spoke quietly, “Bulkhead has been done a great disservice by all of us, Ratchet. We took his uncomplaining attitude and general reliability for granted and assumed his spark was as hard as his armor. Our relationships were well established in Team Prime before Bulkhead joined us, and I think we have not done well integrating him into the team as we could have. Get Arcee and Bumblebee. We need to have a meeting.”


	2. Chapter 2

Optimus turned to leave the medbay and sent a ping to Arcee and Bumblebee to meet in his office. Ratchet followed Prime. A breem later, Arcee and Bumblebee came in and sat down and looked at Prime. Bulkhead was noticeably absent from this meeting.

Optimus was pacing slowly back and forth behind his desk as the others sat expectantly. “There is no easy way to say this, so I will be frank. Bulkhead is sparked.”

Bumblebee looked surprised for a moment and then broke into happy clicks and chirrs. He was overjoyed at the idea of a sparkling.

Arcee made a grimace of distaste, “Who plugged big, green and ugly?”

Optimus stopped pacing and looked at Arcee with real anger in flashing in his optics, “It is that very attitude that Bulkhead questions his worth here and is considering terminating the sparklet.”

Optimus looked at all of his team in the optics. “Bulkhead has not been well treated in Team Prime. He feels unwanted. None of us have done what we should to integrate him into the team. He is suffering for it and is considering terminating his sparklet so that it won’t be reviled and ridiculed. I am certain the only reason he did not leave with Wheel Jack is Miko.”

Bumblebee looked like he wanted to cry. He never wanted his teammate to feel unwanted. He hung out with the big, green Wrecker from time to time especially when the kids were around, but lately he’d been all wrapped up with Arcee. Bee realized he had even been neglecting Raf. If he’d been neglecting Raf, then Bulkhead had completely fallen off of his radar. 

Arcee looked ashamed. “I didn’t think he would take anything personally, Prime.” Arcee said quietly. The idea that Bulkhead wanted to terminate his child because of her made her feel like she was going to be visiting Unicron in the Pit for a long chat. Arcee was sarcastic as a defense mechanism from all the suffering in the war not because she particularly disliked the former Wrecker.

“I think being called stupid, clumsy and ugly by you and made implicit by the rest of our actions would hurt any ‘bot’s spark, but we all assumed because Bulkhead didn’t react or laughed it off, it was not an issue.”

Optimus ventilated deeply. “I am asking that we all treat Bulkhead with consideration and respect that we ourselves would want. I also would like all of us to spend some time with Bulkhead to get to know him more as a ‘bot and less as a soldier and former Wrecker. I will say this one time, if I hear any of you making disparaging remarks to or about him, I will have that ‘bot on double monitor duty and double patrols during the graveyard shift for the next 6 human months. Do I make myself clear?” Optimus pointedly looked at Arcee. Arcee had the good grace to look down.

“Ratchet is going to talk to you about Bulkhead carrying and what to expect going forward.” Optimus turned the meeting over to Ratchet.

“To answer your original question, Arcee. Wheel Jack is the Sire of Bulkhead’s sparkling. I have tried to contact him on the old Wrecker and all Autobot subspace transmission frequencies and have not been able to make contact. So going forward, Wheel Jack is not going to be part of the equation unless by some miracle of Primus he shows back up before Bulkhead’s sparkling emerges.”

“Bulkhead is in the first quarter of carrying. The sparklet is still maturing in his spark chamber and has not descended into the gestational tank. He is very exhausted and will be on light duty going forward. He will be under my care and will have all the extra energon and nutrients he needs. After the sparklet descends into the spark chamber in Bulkhead’s gestational tank, he will be less tired. His fuel and nutrient consumption will continue to increase as his body and the combined gestational/reproductive nanites build the protoform and latticework of circuits and cables to support the sparkling. He is not bonded so he doesn’t have the support both physical and spark of a mate. His emotions are going to be all over the place from the physical changes in his protoform and being a single parent. I think Prime and I have convinced him not to terminate. He is going to need a lot of support going forward. I will say this. The sparkling was not planned. His cervical port plug was damaged probably during battle. I would suggest each of you getting your plug scanned at the earliest convenience.”

Ratchet gave Bee and Arcee a very pointed look. He was sure Bee’s plug was sound as it was just installed, but Arcee’s could be faulty. He’d be doing a scan of his own and Prime’s. Team Prime just didn’t have the resources for anymore sparklings and considering none of them were bonded nor showed any intention to bond, another sparkling would cause undue strain to the team dynamics.

Bee buzzed a question, “So what do we tell the children, Fowler and Mrs. Darby?”

Ratchet looked thoughtful, “The truth as much as they can handle. I don’t think they need in depth lessons on our biology. Something like this cannot be hid.”

Arcee spoke up then, “What about the ‘Cons?”

Optimus answered, “The Decepticons have been quiet for some time. Bulkhead will be removed from patrol rosters and battle duty going forward. It is too dangerous for him specifically and Team Prime generally to have him out where he could be hurt or captured.”

“He isn’t going to like that.” Bee buzzed. Bulkhead took a lot of pride in being a dependable warrior for the team.

Optimus ventilated heavily, “No, Bulkhead will not like being confined to base for the time he is carrying, but I suspect he will rise to the occasion and make the best of it as he always has with his other responsibilities. It is almost time for the children to be released from school. Arcee, Bumblebee, please go get the children. Ratchet will contact Agent Fowler and have him meet us here. Hopefully Mrs. Darby will be able to meet with us. Dismissed.”

Arcee and Bumblebee left the office.

Ratchet looked at Prime, “Well, how do you think that went.”

“We’ll see going forward, Old Friend. I hope that things will change for the better for our comrade. I am going to talk to Bulkhead. Let me know when everyone arrives.”

Ratchet just nodded as Optimus left his office.

Optimus made his way to Bulkhead’s recharge room and knocked. He didn’t want to wake the ‘bot as he needed all the rest he could get, but Optimus needed to talk to Bulkhead before the children came. He was surprised when Bulkhead answered.

“It’s open!” Bulkhead yelled.

Optimus opened the door to Bulkhead’s recharge room and entered. He found Bulkhead lying on the berth on his back struts with one hand over his spark chamber and one over his armor where his gestational tank was. Bulkhead gave Optimus a silly grin as he sat up.

“It is kinda hitting home. I am going to be a parent, Prime. Jackie and I are going to be parents.” 

Optimus was glad to see Bulkhead was happy about the unexpected child and not contemplating terminating it anymore.

“I am very happy for you, Bulkhead. I hope Wheel Jack will be too when he finds out.”

Bulkhead shrugged, “I tried all the old Wrecker frequencies when I left medbay. He’ll be getting a big surprise when he gets back around this way. Wish he was here though. We are good friends, Prime. I don’t think that is going to change sparkling or no. Just so you know Prime, I won’t accept a bonding proposal from Jackie if he does show back up. I won’t be bonded to some bot because of obligation.”

Optimus just nodded. Wheel Jack and Bulkhead would have to figure out their relationship themselves. He couldn’t even offer advice as he knew very little of Wheel Jack other than his tales and Bulkhead’s musings.

“I called a meeting with Arcee and Bumblebee and told them of your development.” Optimus said cautiously. 

Bulkhead glanced over at the Prime with a knowing sneer, “Did ‘Cee glitch her processor with images of me and Jackie getting it on?”

Bulkhead was quite aware of Arcee’s opinion of him. She did admire his fighting skills but found him clumsy and inept as a ‘bot outside of battle. They had little in common and rarely socialized outside of the children.

Optimus shook his head, “No, Bulkhead, she did not. I did tell her to curb her sharp glossa. It is her way of protecting her spark. It is not personal, but her words are very hurtful.”

Bulkhead gave Optimus a stern look, “I don’t need ya fighting my battles, Prime.”

Optimus ventilated heavily, “Bulkhead, you can be too kind sparked for your own good. I know what she can say is very hurtful. I have been on the receiving end of her glossa before. I will not tolerate anymore of her acerbic temperament. It is not good for you and will not be good for the sparkling before or after emergence. She needs to find more positive ways to cope with her feelings of anger and grief.”

Bulkhead just looked miffed but said nothing more. 

“Bumblebee is all excited about your sparkling, Bulkhead. He is looking forward to having a younger brother to take care of.” Optimus said with a real smile gracing his faceplates.

Bulkhead laughed, “Yeah, Bee is a real good kid. We play games together sometimes….we did before he got all wrapped up with fragging Arcee…or is it being fragged?” He gave Optimus a lecherous grin.

Optimus groaned at Bulkhead’s humor and rubbed his faceplates. “I really don’t want to think about how the youngling I helped raise is fragging as much as I logically know he is of age, and it is natural.”

Bulkhead laughed heartily at the Prime discomfort.

“Arcee and Bumblebee are bringing the children from school. Agent Fowler is on his way. I think Mrs. Darby will be joining us, too. Do you want me to announce your carrying or do you want to?”

Bulkhead looked thoughtful for a moment. “I guess this couldn’t be kept quiet. I want to tell Miko so I guess I’ll be making the announcement. Just don’t expect me to have the answers to their questions about why we are they way we are.”

We will all be there at the meeting, and Ratchet will have the answers about our biology and the carrying process. Let’s go the Rec. Room and wait for the children.”

Bulkhead nodded and stood from his berth and swayed. “Whoa, the room is spinning.”

Prime quickly grabbed Bulkhead around his shoulder struts and pinged Ratchet. “Hold on, Bulkhead. Just sit back down. Ratchet will be here shortly to look you over.”

Optimus helped Bulkhead to sit back on his berth. “Pit, I hate it when that happens.”

Ratchet came into Bulkhead’s recharge room at that moment, “How long have you been having bouts of vertigo?”

“Dunno, off and on for a few months.” Bulkhead said.

“Hmm.” Ratchet said as he ran a few scans. “It looks like your protoform is low on minerals and ores. Your protoform is leeching them from itself to send to your gestational tank to build the sparklet’s spark chamber and later protoform combined with the extra effort of your spark to sustain and mature the sparklet. This wouldn’t have happened if you weren’t undernourished to begin with, Bulkhead.”

Bulkhead didn’t say anything but just looked away. Ratchet ventilated deeply as he pulled a large syringe with additives, ores and high grade energon in it. “Normally, I wouldn’t advise high grade energon for a carrying ‘bot, but you need the extra boost of fuel and additives to help offset the malnutrition. I will give you one of these injections daily until your protoform is at optimal levels along with your regular carrying rations.” Ratchet injected the syringe into Bulkhead’s right hand venous port. Bulkhead felt the effects immediately as the vertigo eased.

“Feeling better?” Optimus asked.

Bulkhead grinned and gave him thumbs up as he stood. “Yup, right as rain!”

Prime had to do a quick search for the idiom. “Good. Let’s go the Rec. Room and wait for the children, Arcee and Bumblebee.”

Bulkhead followed Ratchet and Optimus out of his berth room. It felt like butterflies were in his fuel tanks. Bulkhead loved Miko with all his spark and it would break if she couldn’t accept him and the coming sparkling. Bulkhead plopped down rather ungracefully onto the Autobot sized couch and waited for Arcee and Bumblebee to arrive with the children. 

“Hey…anyone here!” Agent Fowler bellowed as he entered the secret base.

“In the Rec. Room.” Ratchet said over an intercom.

Agent Fowler entered the room and found three of the five Autobots sitting. “What in blue blazes is so important that I gotta get called out of a meeting with my subordinates and drive all the way over here…couldn’t you guys I dunno…drop an email or something?”

Agent Fowler had been with new recruits orientating them to their new jobs working for the Federal government in covert, top secret fields when he was told by his superiors to get out to the Autobot base.

Optimus gave Fowler an intense look before speaking. “What we are going to need to discuss with you is better left off of email or phone lines where it could be intercepted by ‘Cons, MECH or other undesirables.”

“Alright, Prime. What is going on?” Fowler asked with his curiosity piqued.

“We will be waiting for the children to arrive and Mrs. Darby if she is able.”

“So this is affecting everyone?” Fowler was really curious now if even the children needed to appraised of the situation.

Bulkhead snorted at the Primes’ obtuseness and added, “Oh, yeah!” and laughed.

Fowler just shook his head and gave a long suffering sigh. He grabbed a drink from the refrigerator kept in the Rec. Room for human use and made himself comfortable waiting on the other Autobots and children to get there. He made small talk with Prime about the ‘Con activity or lack thereof, the weather and other inconsequential things.


	3. Chapter 3

They all could hear when the Arcee and Bumblebee returned in the main bay. The children were all chattering as sounds of Autobots transforming were heard. Bee came running into the Rec. Room and threw himself on Bulkhead whirring, buzzing and clicking so fast that Bulkhead could barely make out what he was saying. Bumblebee was gesticulating wildly and threw his arms around the large, green Wrecker. Bulkhead noticed Miko standing behind Bee looking forlorn and confused. Bulkhead gently responded to Bee in Cybertronian and rubbed his cheek strut against Bee’s in a Cybertronian gesture of friendship and gently pushed him off. Bulkhead knelt down and held his hand out for Miko to step on.

“What’s going on, Bulkhead? Are you mad at me?” Miko looked up at his optics trying not to cry. She missed her best ‘bot friend.

Bulkhead ventilated heavily trying not to give into tears himself, “No, Miko. I have been very sad since Jackie left and feeling physically down…”

“Are you sick, Bulk? You aren’t going to die?” Miko was working herself up into a Miko fit.

Bulkhead shook his helm, “No, I am not sick…I am pregnant.” Bulkhead decided to use the human term so she could understand him.

Miko gave him a strange look and began to laugh, “Same old Bulkhead…joking around…glad to see ya feeling better.”

“No, Miko, I am not joking. I am really pregnant…”

Ratchet piped up, “Sparked is the correct term.”

Agent Fowler yelled, “What the hell is Bulkhead talking about?”

Bulkhead looked Miko deep in the eyes, “I am having a baby…sparkling…in about a human year….it is Jackie’s.”

Agent Fowler and the children just looked gob smacked. Miko got her bearings first.

“I thought you were a dude?” Miko looked very confused.

“I am…” Bulkhead looked over at Ratchet with a help me expression.

Ratchet spoke up, “We have no physical differentiated sex in the human sense. Gender is a matter of spark and processor. Both genders are capable of conceiving and bearing children as well as inseminating a partner. There are mechs that are small like Arcee…Bumblebee is a good example. There are femmes as big as mechs. Nemesis Strika comes to mind. I hope she never comes to Earth. She makes Airachnid look like an innocent sparkling. She is a monster.” Ratchet shuddered.

Jack spoke up then, “So then why have femmes? ‘Cee, you could get Bee pregnant?” The children were well aware of Bee and Arcee’s fledgling relationship.

Arcee answered, “We weren’t part of the original plan of Primus. A Cybertronian long in the past decided to introduce gender by introducing a virus into the Well of the All Spark after studying gender in higher organic life forms. We didn’t physically split into two sexes. Instead, our sparks developed gender. Bee has a cervical port plug installed, and we don’t spark merge. I won’t be getting any sparklings on Bee.” 

Bee chirred in embarrassment at Arcee’s blithe statement. “What Bee?” Arcee demanded, “I am not ashamed of interfacing with you...”

Bee buzzed a response.

Arcee looked perplexed, “Bee, we aren’t human. Their ideas of modesty do not apply.”

Agent Fowler had reached the boiling point and exploded, “I thought you all came from the All Spark…now you tell me you can have intercourse and conceive babies…Bulkhead is a male pregnant by another male…” Agent Fowler began to waiver.

“Catch him!” Ratchet yelled to the children as the federal agent collapsed into a dead faint. It was Arcee who caught him and looked askance at Ratchet.

“Get him over to the human sized med berth in the medbay.” Ratchet said.

Arcee gently moved the federal agent to the berth. Ratchet covered him with a blanket and lifted his feet up onto cushions to help stave off shock. He’d be out for awhile, but Ratchet was sure Agent Fowler would be back to his surly self in no time.

“He’ll be fine.” Ratchet said to the others as he re-entered the Rec. Room.

Raf looked up at Optimus, “Well, Agent Fowler may have fainted, but he made a good point. We are all confused.”

Optimus ventilated heavily, “We all come from the All Spark which is basically the gestational chamber of Primus. We are all children of Primus and Unicron and since we are made in their image, we are capable of bringing forth life from within our beings. The All Spark has over the vorns produced less and less Cybertronians before Megatron poisoned it. If we did not sexually reproduce, our numbers would have been much lower, and there is a good possibility that we would have been extinct by our own hands by now.”

Optimus, Ratchet, Arcee, Jack and Raf all began conversing about conceiving and carrying sparklings, and the whole reason for the meeting was lost. Bulkhead and Miko were forgotten for the moment.

Miko looked up from Bulkhead’s lap with soft wonder in her eyes. “You have a baby growing inside?” She pointed to Bulkhead’s abdomen.

He shook his head in the negative, “Not yet. The sparklet is still in my spark chamber maturing. Its spark chamber is forming in my gestational tank. In about another month or so, it will separate from my spark and descend into its spark chamber. Then its protoform…body…will begin to grow.”

“Can I see?” Miko asked excitedly.

“Well, sure!” Bulkhead opened his chest plates to expose his spark. It was brilliant white with pink hues swirling within. Nestled against his spark was a small golden spark of the coming sparkling. Miko gasped in wonder. It was beautiful.

The Autobots fell silent immediately in shock. Jack and Raf didn’t understand. A Cybertronian did not show his or her spark to anyone but a mate or potential mate, a child or a doctor. The fact that Bulkhead showed his spark to Miko showed the depth of love and devotion he had for her. Furthermore, they were amazed at Bulkhead’s spark color. Each spark reflected the primary personality of the Cybertronian. White showed purity…not necessarily innocence…but a core belief in the inherent good of the universe and hope for a better tomorrow…the pink tones within Bulkhead’s spark showed tenderness and gentle love.

What happened next totally blew the Autobots away. Miko leaned in to touch Bulkhead’s spark chamber. “I love you already, little guy.” Miko whispered and kissed Bulkhead’s spark chamber right above the small golden spark and laid her head against Bulkhead’s spark chamber. Bulkhead held Miko close with his optics shuttered and tears running down his faceplates overwhelmed with her complete acceptance and love for his sparkling.

Optimus gently gathered the children and herded the other Autobots out of the Rec. Room to give Bulkhead and Miko some privacy. Jack and Raf noticed the Autobots looked overwhelmed and in awe.

“What?” Jack asked.

Optimus tried to speak but had to reboot his voice coder twice before he could reign in his emotions. “We show our sparks to very few. A carrying Cybertronian even fewer. It is the physical manifestation of our very beings…our souls. Bulkhead loves Miko almost beyond comprehension as he showed her his coming child’s spark as well as his own.”

Ratchet, Arcee and Bee nodded in agreement.

They all heard a moan from the medbay and went in to see Agent Fowler sitting up and rubbing his head.

Agent Fowler glanced up, “No chance that was a nightmare?”

Optimus shook his helm in the negative.

“Damn, Prime. So what now?” Agent Fowler asked.

Ratchet answered, “Bulkhead will carry for almost another human year then the sparkling will emerge…be born through a process similar to human female birth. Until then, he’ll be on light duty and remain in base for the most part. As the sparkling matures, there will come a time when he will not be able to transform into his alternate mode…”

Miko walked into the medbay interrupting Ratchet, “Any particular reason Bulkhead konked out on me?”

Ratchet started at her non sequitur. “You are okay with Bulkhead being with child?”

Miko shrugged, “Why shouldn’t I be? He’s an alien, not human. It is normal for you guys. Besides, I get to be an aunt to a baby Autobot!” Miko squealed the last sentence.

Optimus looked startled, “Bulkhead asked you to be a guardian?”

Miko looked proud, “Yup!!”

Ratchet spat, “Preposterous!”

Miko jutted her jaw out and narrowed her eyes in typical Miko stubborn defiance. “Why not! I am a good person!”

“Do you realize that sparkling will be close to your size when it emerges and will have the strength of a Cybertronian but will be barely more intelligence than a human infant. Furthermore, our lives are measured in vorns which is about a century in human years. We live millions of vorns. That sparkling will be an infant long after you and your descendants have passed on.” Ratchet tried to explain.

Miko shook her head, “No, Ratchet. It doesn’t matter. I am that baby’s aunt whether you like it or not!”

Optimus got between Ratchet and Miko. “Bulkhead has made his choice, Ratchet. It is not your place to question it.”

Ratchet just glared at the Prime, but he said nothing more. He knew he was going against Cybertronian custom by speaking out anyway. Ratchet ventilated heavily.

“To answer your first question, Miko, Bulkhead fell into recharge because his body is using a lot of energy and fuel to carry, and he is undernourished. I am dealing with it. He’ll be fine a month or so in time for the sparklet to descend into the gestational tank.” Ratchet said trying to reassure the young girl.

Agent Fowler interrupted, “So what do we do about ‘Cons while Bulkhead is off active duty?”

Arcee spoke up, “Bee, Prime and I will have to double up on patrols and monitor duty.”

“I could take a patrol once in awhile.” Ratchet volunteered.

Optimus spoke then, “No, Old Friend. You are going to have your hands full assisting Bulkhead with his carrying and keeping the base up and running. Arcee is right about what we will be doing concerning patrols, but I do believe Bulkhead wouldn’t mind doing monitor duty. He would feel less of a burden if he was doing something to help. If the Decepticons attack, you may have to assist then, Old Friend.”

Ratchet scowled but said nothing.

Agent Fowler rubbed his head again. “So, this is on a need to know basis and lemme guess, my superiors do not need to know? What about Mrs. Darby?”

Jack spoke up then, “I’ll tell mom what I can. She had to work tonight. She’ll be by later in the week to talk to Ratchet I am sure.”

Optimus answered Agent Fowler, “I think your superiors should know because of the threat that MECH represents. They would take any chance to get a hold of a sparkling to experiment on. We are supposed to be guaranteed the same rights as your citizens or legal residents while in your country.”

Agent Fowler nodded. “You guys don’t do things by halves do ya? Sheesh, pregnant robotic life forms. My superiors are going to have kittens when they hear of this. Damn, it is getting late. I really need to get home. I’ll let my superiors know tomorrow.”

Agent Fowler slid off the human sized berth.

“Can you drive, Agent?” Optimus asked. He was worried about the agent collapsing earlier.

“I’m alright, Prime. Got a splitting headache with a bottle of ibuprofen written all over it.” Agent Fowler would have preferred a strong shot of whiskey, but he had to work in the morning. “I am outta here. Please…please…please, don’t do anything more to make my life and job harder than it already is.” Fowler left the base cursing and grumbling at his luck.

Arcee, Bumblebee, Ratchet and Prime just looked at each other and the children a bit at loss of what to say.

Miko had missed some of the conversation about carrying mechs while talking to Bulkhead and decided to ask questions.

“Ratchet, is Bulkhead going to get all big and round like a human?” Miko leaned her belly forward and pantomimed with her hands.

“No, Miko. We don’t show our carrying like a human woman would. In time, there will be some minor changes in his body as his gestational tank expands to accommodate the sparkling. He’ll have to remove some of his armor as time goes on so it won’t be a drain on his resources. The inside of his chest plates will thicken and soften as emergence approaches. The sparkling will spend most of its time in his chest curled against his spark and feeding lines. It will come out sporadically in the beginning and then for longer periods of time as it matures.”

Raf said, “Kinda like kangaroos?”

Ratchet did a quick internet search on marsupials and replied, “Yes. Our sparklings are very immature when they emerge. That is a very apt comparison.”

Jack was curious about feeding babies, “How do you feed a sparkling?”

“Well, as you know we need energon to survive. Our fuel tanks break it down and partially refine it before it is sent into our systems to mix with nanites and other things that make up our blood. We can have a direct energon line hooked into our venous or arterial lines for medical emergencies, and our protoforms can cope with it. A sparkling cannot take in unrefined energon. Bulkhead’s feeding lines have onlined and are maturing. They will siphon off energon from his fuel tank and further refine it in a storage chamber in his chest near his spark chamber. In addition, nanites, minerals and ores will be introduced into the sparkling mix energon. When the sparkling emerges, it will be able to suckle sparkling mix energon from feeding numbs that are similar in appearance to most mammalian breasts and nipples. The sparkling mix can and will change as the child matures or gets sick. There is a complex interaction between a child and parent’s EM fields along with scent and touch that is similar to all species that sexually reproduce. Our children suckle until they are a young adult which is not the norm for humans, but our life spans are so long that it is a miniscule part of the overall. Our young do not fully mature in spark or processor until then and being weaned any earlier causes delays and trauma in the child.”

Jack nodded in understanding. Having a nurse for a mother helped a lot with stuff like this.

“So what does being a guardian entail?” Miko wanted to know.

Optimus spoke up, “You are more than an aunt in the human sense. In many ways you will be like another parent. You will have to be there at emergence so the sparkling imprints on to you. You will be assisting Bulkhead with many of the childrearing duties as Wheel Jack is not here.”

“Cool!” Miko did a fist pump and jumped.

Bee buzzed and Raf translated, “You may not feel that way after awhile. It is a lot of work, and you have school.”

“I’m up to it!” Miko glared at Bee.

Arcee spoke up then, “Bulkhead will probably name another one of us as another guardian. He’ll need to do it soon so the guardian can merge with him and establish a bond with the sparklet that will cause the guardian’s protoform to also prepare for emergence.”

“Huh?” Miko was confused as were Jack and Raf.

Ratchet explained, “If Wheel Jack were here, he would already have a bond formed with his child. He is not here. Bulkhead needs to have another stand in as Sire for the child. Our children need either parents or parent figures to develop normally. That is accomplished by a spark merge…”

Raf spat out, “But that is sex…right?” Bee had explained some of the Cybertronian birds and bees to Raf when he began seeing Arcee.

“Not necessarily. Spark merges are usually a part of a bonded couple’s interface life; however, spark merges can be therapeutic to save a life of a Cybertronian or in the case of a Carrier without a Sire, to provide a surrogate Sire to the sparkling. Spark merging is very sacred to us and is not done willy nilly no matter who we interface with. Outside of a medical reason, most Cybertronians do not merge with anyone other than a bond mate, a family member or an extremely close friend in cases like this.” Ratchet explained. “Why Bulkhead and Wheel Jack spark merged while interfacing is beyond me…maybe that Praxian high grade lowered their inhibitions or muddled their processors and they were acting on instinct.”

“But don’t you have to spark merge to make babies?” Miko asked. She got a very basic rundown from Bulkhead how sparkling’s were conceived.

“Yes and no. When one spark merges, there is an exchange of spark energy. If it is prolonged, repeated with the same Cybertronian or deep, then a spark bond can initiate. It usually dissipates, after overload or the sparks retract back into their chambers, down conduits into the gestational chamber and protoform. However, for conception to occur there must be both gestational nanites and transfluid nanites in the gestational chamber which usually occurs during a spark overload…orgasm…with a simultaneous interface overload. In that case, the energy does not dissipate but activates the nanites in the gestational chamber which sends another burst of energy up the conduits back to the spark chamber which causes EM and harmonic changes in the spark causing it to hold on to the spark energy to begin forming the sparklet which is nestled to the spark of the Carrier. When it matures, it breaks off from the Carrier’s spark and descends into the gestational chamber were the gestational and transfluid nanites combined and began building the spark chamber for the coming sparkling.”

Miko yawned, “Enough Cybertronian biology for one night. I gotta get some rest. Got school tomorrow.”

Optimus noticed the other children looked tired, too. “Arcee and Bumblebee will return you to your homes. Have a good evening.”

Ratchet and Optimus watched them leave. Ratchet snorted, “That went better than expected.”

Optimus nodded, “With the exception of Agent Fowler.”

Ratchet laughed, “I could have really got him riled up. I could have told him about Seekers breeding. He’d have had a heart attack at the idea of Starscream producing a litter of seekerlets.”

“I am more than sure Agent Fowler has enough to worry about with a sparked grounder. Unless he begins to wonder about breeding Decepticons, I would advise you not to tell him.” Optimus warned.

Ratchet guffawed at that. “Let’s go get Bulkhead to his berth room. I have graveyard monitor duty, and the rest of you need to recharge.”

Both ‘bots woke Bulkhead who was half slouched on the couch in the Rec. Room. 

“Where’s Miko?” Bulkhead asked groggily.

“Going home to rest, Bulkhead, as should you. We can talk more about things going forward tomorrow.” Optimus said gently as he led the big, green Wrecker to his berth. Bulkhead collapsed into a heap in his berth and immediately fell back into recharge. 

Optimus waited until Arcee and Bumblebee returned, and they went to recharge. Optimus noticed Bee heading towards Arcee’s berth room. Well, Optimus was going to recharge. Bee and Arcee were going to do what they do. Optimus groaned at that idea. If either of them were late for duty tomorrow, he was going to have to have a talk with them.


	4. Chapter 4

Bulkhead woke much later than normal the next day.  He felt better than he had in orns.  He immediately stood and stretched his stiff cables and joints and grimaced at the popping and grinding.  “Getting old.” he thought.

Bulkhead made his way out of his berth room and took a look around.  All was quiet and he made his way to the monitor room and found Optimus on the monitor.

“Good Morning, Prime.”

Optimus turned and gave a bright smile of genuine pleasure at seeing the Wrecker. “How are you feeling today?”

“Lots better since I got enough recharge…”

“Have you fueled yet?” Optimus inquired gently.

Bulkhead huffed, “Prime, I don’t need a sparkling sitter…well not yet anyway.  I am heading over to the medbay to get my morning high grade with additives.  The Hatchet there?”

“Ratchet is recharging as he had graveyard duty.  Arcee and Bumblebee are out on patrols.  You are going to be on light duty going forward.  You will be doing two shifts of monitor duty and helping out with maintenance with Ratchet.”

Bulkhead scowled at being on light duty, but he knew it was for the best.  He didn’t like monitor duty, either, and didn’t look forward to an extra shift, but he should be grateful that he had something to do. He’d go out of his processor in short time sitting around listening to Ratchet complain all day.

“Alright, Prime.”  Bulkhead stomped off to get his morning rations from the medbay.  He returned to the monitor room to relieve Prime.  Prime stood from the chair and stretched.

“Thank you for your willingness to do monitor duty, Bulkhead.  I know it is not your preferred work assignment.”

Bulkhead felt a flush of embarrassment. “Nah, Prime. It is all good.”  Bulkhead sipped on a large cube of adulterated energon and made himself comfortable. He expected Optimus to either go on patrol or recharge.  He was surprised when he began to pace to work the kinks out of his protoform.

“You named Miko a guardian?” Prime finally broke the silence.

Bulkhead growled, “Yeah…what of it?”  He was expecting trouble for his unorthodox choice, but Pit, it was his child and he’d make the decisions.

“I believe that was a wise choice, Bulkhead, as we are going to be on this planet for a long while.  Your child should know of the inhabitants in a loving, close relationship.”

Bulkhead ventilated deeply in relief, “Thanks, Prime. Miko is my closest friend.  It seemed natural.”

Prime nodded and continued to pace wondering how to broach a delicate subject. “Who are you going to name to be guardian Sire for your sparkling?  It needs to be done soon before the sparklet detaches.”

“Ratchet.” Bulkhead said without a second thought.

“What?” Optimus sputtered.  That was the last ‘bot he would have thought Bulkhead would have named although his choices were slim.

“He is the only one of us who doesn’t go into the field often.  My job won’t be changing after I have the sparkling.  The sparkling is going to need a parent that has a less chance of getting blown to bits.”

Optimus nodded at the wisdom of Bulkhead’s choice but wasn’t sure how Ratchet was going to take the offer.  Ratchet could refuse.  Optimus would then offer.

“Do you think he’ll accept?”

“Dunno, Prime, but won’t hurt to ask.  I don’t think he’ll say no.”

“Okay, Bulkhead.  I have reports to prepare for Agent Fowler.  I will be in my office.  Bulkhead, I am always available if you need to talk…”

“Don’t get all mushy on me, Optimus.  I am alright.” Bulkhead laughed.  “I am knocked up…not dying.”

Optimus had to do a quick search for the idiom and shook his helm. “All the same, I am here for all of my soldiers.”  Optimus turned to leave the monitor room.

Bulkhead turned back to monitors to watch for unusual activities and to follow the signals of Arcee and Bumblebee as they did their patrols.

Ratchet woke to the pinging from his internal alarm.  He should have more recharge, but he had to check up on Bulkhead.  Ratchet found Bulkhead down in the bottom of the base repairing a cracked energon line.

“Hey, Doc Bot, what’s up?” Bulkhead asked as the continued to tighten the new cuff to seal the energon leak.

“Prime told you about your new duties?”

“Yeah, Optimus told me.  Why you think I am down here fixing this?  Well, I am good at building things or breaking things.” Bulkhead spoke as he tightened the last of the nuts and bolts.

“Come on up to the med bay and let’s have a look at ya sparklet and you.” Ratchet said.

“Ratchet, why do I have to be checked every day?” Bulkhead groused.  He didn’t like the Hatchet poking around in his internals.

“Just until your minerals and ores are at optimum levels and your internal systems are back at optimum efficiency. Then it will once an orn until your last quarter of carrying then it will be back to daily to make sure your feeding lines are completely onlined; that your gestational tank is preparing to expel the sparkling, and the sparkling is in position to emerge.”

“Uh, okay.” Bulkhead didn’t have a clue about much of what the medic was talking about.  Ratchet noticed Bulkhead’s confusion.

“I’ll loan you a data pad about carrying, birthing and the care of sparklings.  Please read it.” 

Bulkhead nodded as he followed Ratchet back up to the med bay.  Ratchet scanned Bulkhead.

“Open up ya chest plates.” Ratchet said.

Bulkhead complied and Ratchet did a visual examination of the sparklet.  He closed Bulkhead’s plates.

“Looking good, Bulkhead.  Mineral and ore levels are rising.  Your systems are recovering nicely.  You should be well within healthy parameters when it comes time for sparklet to descend.  Now the next issue is who will be the guardian Sire as Wheeljack is not around?”

“Well, I was kind hoping you would, Ratchet.” Bulkhead said slowly.

“ME?  I am old, cranky and…”

Bulkhead cut him off, “A great medic, loyal and doesn’t go in the field often…I could die out there, Ratchet.  My sparkling needs a parent that has the greatest chance of living.  I know you Ratchet.  You are the best choice for guardian Sire.”

Ratchet just gaped at Bulkhead for many minutes, “Okay, Bulkhead, I will stand as guardian Sire for your sparkling.”

Bulkhead grabbed the medic in a large bear hug.  Ratchet flailed and squawked. “Let me go!”

Bulkhead laughed in relief and released Ratchet. “When do you want to merge?” Bulkhead asked nonchalantly as if asking for his next ration of energon.  Ratchet sputtered.

“Uh…uh…tonight?” Ratchet figured the sooner the better although he was rather uncomfortable with the idea of spark merging with Bulkhead.  It was too close to interfacing with a rather ugly ‘bot.

“Cool! I gotta get back to work.” Bulkhead turned to walk out of the medbay with lightness in his steps.

Ratchet sighed wondering just what had he gotten himself into when Optimus silently entered the medbay.

“You agreed, Old Friend?”

“Yes, Prime. Although, I don’t know what possessed me to agree.  He made a persuasive argument.  The sparkling needs to have two parents, and one that is a constant.”

“I always knew you had a soft spark, Ratchet.”

Ratchet grimaced at that thought, “Just don’t tell anyone.”

Optimus laughed heartily, “No one would believe me.”

Ratchet just looked down in shame.

“What is wrong?” Optimus was worried.

“I don’t know how I feel about spark merging with Bulkhead.  He is just so fragging ugly.”

Optimus growled at Ratchet, “My orders for Arcee stand for all of us.  If you cannot do right by Bulkhead and his sparkling, I will stand in as guardian Sire.  He is not asking you to interface with him, just merge with him long enough to form a Sire bond with his sparklet.”

Ratchet snarled, “Don’t you think I know that!  This is a medical necessity…but I am afraid he will feel how I see him physically when we merge…it is wrong to feel how I feel…”

Optimus said in a kinder tone, “One cannot help what they find attractive.  Bulkhead knows you find him unattractive.  If he can set aside his feelings for the benefit of his sparkling, then I think you are up to the task to do the same.  I have faith in you, Old Friend, as does Bulkhead.”

Ratchet ventilated deeply and nodded as Optimus left to go on patrol.

Tonight was going to be something else.


	5. Chapter 5

The day was passing too slowly for Ratchet.  He had his daily work to take care of as well as supervising Bulkhead’s work.  Bulkhead stayed busy doing routine maintenance and taking his second monitor shift. 

Prime kept an optic on his medic in between rotating patrols with Arcee and Bumblebee.  Soon it was time for the children to be released from school.  Arcee and Bumblebee were preparing to go.

“I want to pick up Miko.” Bulkhead announced with a stubborn gleam in his optics.  He hadn’t spent much time with Miko since Jackie left, and he wanted to make up for lost time.

Optimus nodded in agreement, “That would be good, Bulkhead.  You can talk to her about the responsibility as a guardian.  You need to get out as much as possible before you are not able to transform.”

Ratchet and Optimus watched as the others transformed and left to retrieve the children.

“How are you feeling, Old Friend?” Optimus was still concerned about Ratchet agreeing to be Bulkhead’s sparkling’s guardian Sire.

“Nervous, but I think I got a handle on my feelings.  He may be ugly, but he has very good qualities both as a soldier and a ‘bot.  I am focusing on his good qualities.”

“Did you ever think he may be doing the same?” Optimus gently inquired.

Ratchet arched an optic ridge at Prime, “I do know my failings, Optimus.  I suspect Bulkhead sees something beyond my staying in base if he wants me to stand in for as his sparkling’s Sire.”

Optimus laughed, “I am sure there is much good in you, Old Friend.”

Ratchet just huffed and sat at the monitors to do something and to get away from the teasing of Optimus.

Miko was overjoyed to see her big, green friend’s alternate form waiting outside the school along with Bumblebee and Arcee.  She squealed as she jumped into the front passenger side beside Bulkhead’s holoform.

“Hey, Bulk.  Glad to see ya!”

“Me too, Miko.  How was school?”  Bulkhead asked about school as he drove out of the parking lot and headed back to the Autobot base.

“Boring…same as always.  I didn’t get detention today though.  How ya feeling?”

“Doin fine, Miko.  I won’t be able to transform in a few months so I am enjoying every minute of freedom I have.” Bulkhead laughed.

“I can hardly wait to see your baby!” Miko was squealing again.

“You know being a guardian is a big responsibility.” Bulkhead began uncertainly.

“I got that idea from Bee last night.  How hard could it be?”

“You are going to have to be at the birth for the sparkling to imprint on you…to recognize you as a family member.  After that, you will be like another parent.  I know you are in school and young, but I think you are the best human to be a guardian to my sparkling.”

“What does being a parent to a sparkling entail?” Miko was curious about parenting baby ‘bots.

“Well it will be getting all its nourishment from me or Ratchet…”

“What?  I thought only parents could feed the baby?”

“Well any Cybertronian whose feeding protocols are onlined can feed a sparkling.  I have asked Ratchet to stand in as Sire…”

“Eww…why him?  He’s mean and cranky.”  Miko wrinkled her nose in distaste at the idea of Ratchet being a daddy to Bulkhead’s baby.

“He may be cranky, but he is a good ‘bot, Miko.  He is loyal and devoted to his art and to the cause.  He will be loyal and devoted to my sparkling.  He is also doesn’t go out into the field.  I am a soldier, Miko, that isn’t going to change after the sparkling is born.  The sparkling needs a parent that has the best chance of surviving.”

“But you are Wrecker…you’re tough.”

“I am, but a lot could happen out on a battlefield.”

“Alright, so Ratchet’s the daddy, what about me?”

“You’ll need to spend a lot of time with the sparkling.  They need lots of contact with their parents/guardians.  In the beginning, the sparkling will spend most of its time in my chest plates or Ratchet’s.  When it comes out, you’ll be the one it spends time with.  You can help clean and maintenance the sparkling, play with it.  The sparkling will come to recognize your electromagnetic fields, scent and touch.  It is going to be a baby for your entire life and beyond.  You’ll be the first human it has contact with.”

Miko fell silent thinking about the enormity of what Bulkhead was asking of her.  In the beginning, she thought she was going to be like an aunt or babysitter.  Now she understood she would be a parent to a baby long before she was married with her own children.  Furthermore, she would be representing the whole human race for a baby alien.

“Whoa, Bulkhead, that is heavy!” Miko exclaimed.

Bulkhead laughed, “You’re telling me.”

“So…have you and Ratchet done the horizontal mambo yet?” Miko asked blushing furiously at the idea.

Bulkhead was pretty fluent in American English slang and knew what she was asking.  His engine stuttered, and he swerved on the highway.

“Uh, Miko.  I have to spark merge with him…not necessarily interface…have sex…”

“But spark merging can cause overload?”

“You must have been talking to Ratchet last night…”

“You dozed off, and I was curious about your baby.”

“If there was desire then an overload could happen, but that is not going to be a problem.  Anyway, we are not going to be merged that long.  Just long enough for Ratchet to develop a Sire’s bond with the sparkling.”

Miko fell silent with her chin on her hand.  Bulkhead switched the radio on to Miko’s favorite metal station.  They soon began to discuss other topics than sparklings and interfacing much to the relief of Bulkhead.

Miko jumped out of Bulkhead when they reached the base.  Bulkhead transformed and went inside.  He could see Mrs. Darby had arrived sometime after he had left to get Miko.  Mrs. Darby was talking with Arcee, Bee and Jack.  She gave Bulkhead a big smile when she saw him.

“I hear congratulations are in order, Bulkhead, Miko.”  June was ecstatic over the news from Jack.  She had asked Jack many questions some of which he had answers to.  She traveled to the Autobot base after she got off of work.  There she had a long talk with Ratchet and Optimus while the other ‘bots were picking up the children.  Ratchet had agreed to let June assist.  It was a once in a lifetime chance for June to see how Cybertronians carried and birthed children.  She had been more easily accepting than Agent Fowler.  The only reservations June had concerned Miko being a guardian.

Miko smiled a big toothy grin, “Yeah, Bulkhead is having a baby, and I am going to be a guardian.”

“Are you sure you are up to the task, Miko?”

Miko rolled her eyes at June, “Why does everyone but Bulkhead think I can’t do this?”

“We are just concerned for your well being as well as the sparkling’s.” June said gently.

“I named her guardian, Mrs. Darby, and it is not your place to question it.” Bulkhead crossed his arms over his chest plates and looked angry.  Bulkhead was tired of being second guessed.  “I know Miko is young and can be a bit head strong at times, but she has accepted me for me the entire time she has known me.  She sees me as a person not a big, green Wrecker.”

Bulkhead gave a knowing look at the ‘bots present.  They all had the good grace to look embarrassed.  Then with more kindness he said, “She loves whole heartedly.  My sparkling will need that.”

June nodded and decided to hold her tongue.  She noticed the discomfort of Arcee, Bumblebee and Optimus.  There was more going on here than she knew.

Bulkhead turned to look for Ratchet. “Hey where’s the doc ‘bot?”

Optimus spoke, “He is waiting for you in his quarters.”

“Alright, let’s get this show on the road as you humans say.  Sorry to drop ya and scram Miko, but this is important.” Bulkhead knelt down to look at Miko in the optics.

“That’s okay, Bulk.”

Bulkhead turned without another word and left to find Ratchet.  Arcee, Bumblebee and Optimus turned to other things.  Optimus had reports to work on.  Arcee and Bumblebee herded the children and June into the Rec. Room to relax and chat. The humans were a bit uncomfortable with the ‘bots nonchalance over what was going to happen just a few doors down, but they could not find a way to voice their embarrassment. Arcee and Bumblebee noticed, but pretended nothing was amiss.  The children and June were just going to have to get used to Cybertronian culture.  After awhile, everyone did relax and enjoy the rest of the evening.


	6. Chapter 6

Ratchet could hear Bulkhead lumbering down the hall and about jumped out of his armor when Bulkhead banged on the door to his berth room.

“You there, Hatchet?”

“Come in Bulkhead.  Don’t call me Hatchet!”

Bulkhead opened the door and stepped in noticing Ratchet sitting upright on his berth as though he had a rod up his spinal struts. “Gotta tweak ya bearings, Ratchet.  You take things too seriously sometimes.”  Bulkhead shrugged good-naturedly.

Ratchet huffed and then looked uncertain.  Bulkhead flopped unceremoniously onto Ratchet’s berth. “You alright, Ratchet?”

“Just nervous…”

“Turn over.” Bulkhead said.

Ratchet’s optics widened, “What!”

“Turn over.  Gonna help ya relax.  I am not going to spark merge with anyone who is about to vibrate out his armor in nervousness.”

“I don’t know, Bulkhead…” Ratchet stood up off his berth and began to pace.

Bulkhead rolled his optics, “You aren’t gonna get molested by big, green and ugly…just gonna give you a massage.  You look like you are ready to glitch.”

Ratchet spun around and glared at Bulkhead, “I have never called you ‘big, green and ugly’…”

Bulkhead laughed, “You thought it though…everyone has…except Miko and the Wreckers.”

Ratchet stopped pacing and ventilated in relief that the issue was being approached. “You are right, Bulkhead.  I am sorry for that.”

Bulkhead shrugged, “No worries.  You ain’t no catch either, you know.”

Ratchet looked affronted, but Bulkhead cut him off, “Your frame is nice on the eyes, but you got more barbs in that glossa of yours than a cactus.  Don’t know why Prime hasn’t glued your lip plates shut a long time ago.”

Ratchet began to sputter and curse until he saw the twinkling in Bulkhead’s optics. “You fragger!”

“Had ya going, didn’t I?” Bulkhead laughed.  Then with more seriousness, “We all got our faults, Hatchet.  I got an ugly frame and you snark to hide ya pain.”

Ratchet flopped down beside Bulkhead feeling better about things, “We gonna do this or not?” The tension had dissipated some.

“Turn over, Ratchet.  Then we’ll get down to brass bolts.”

Ratchet snarked something about being squashed like a bug, but did as Bulkhead asked.  Bulkhead straddled Ratchet’s waist struts. He could see Ratchet was rigid with tension and shook his helm.  He’d suffer a glitch or spark attack if he tried to merge with Bulkhead at this moment.  Bulkhead sent more energy to his hands causing them to warm and vibrate slowly.  He ran his hands up Ratchet’s back plates in a soothing motion.  He made no abrupt moves toward seams or protoform, but continued to gently stroke Ratchet’s back and neck cables.  Ratchet ventilated deeply and relaxed a fraction.  Bulkhead then began to slowly and carefully apply pressure to Ratchet’s joints, cables and protoform.  Ratchet moaned and completely relaxed into Bulkhead’s hands.  Bulkhead was meticulous in working out the kinks and tension in Ratchet’s frame. 

Ratchet grunted and groaned in pleasure as aches and pains he had ignored for vorns were slowly eased out of his frame.  Ratchet sunk deep into relaxation and was almost in recharge when Bulkhead eased off of and slid down beside him.

“Primus, Bulkhead, I didn’t know you could do that.”  Ratchet said is soft amazement as he turned to his side to face the big ‘bot.  No one had touched him so gently in more vorns than he could count.  He was beginning to see he had vastly underestimated Bulkhead.

Bulkhead grinned, “Lot you don’t know about me, Ratch.  Picked that up in my time as a Wrecker.  We got banged up often and needed to help each other out.”

Bulkhead opened his chest plates revealing his spark with the little golden sparklet nestled into the corona.  Ratchet opened his chest plates in response.  Ratchet’s spark was a warm yellow of a healer with light pink hues of tenderness swirling in it.  Bulkhead was amazed at the pink hues.  No one would suspect tenderness in the old, worn medic.  Bulkhead retracted the casing and patiently waited for Ratchet to come to him.  Ratchet made the first move and slid closer to Bulkhead retracting the crystal casing of his spark chamber.

Their sparks sent minute tendrils out to tentatively touch the other.  It was a slow process as the two sparks became acquainted and sent more tendrils out to increase the connection.  Time and space ceased to exist for Bulkhead and Ratchet as their sparks merged shyly for the first time.

Ratchet sent his consciousness toward the glowing sparklet and felt its gentle exploration.  He sent warmth and tenderness to the sparklet.  It responded with a slight brightening, and sent its own tendrils toward Ratchet’s spark.  Ratchet felt a rush of intense happiness as the sparklet allowed him to bond with it.  He could feel the strength of the sparklet and its nascent awareness responding to its Sire.  Through the sparklet, Ratchet could feel Bulkhead.

Bulkhead could feel Ratchet reach toward the sparklet and the tenderness and warmth Ratchet sent to the sparklet.  Bulkhead felt the sparklet respond to that gentle questing with a flicker of warmth and slender tendrils of connection.  Bulkhead rejoiced that Ratchet and the sparklet responded to the other, and the sparkling would have a Sire.  Bulkhead was surprised when Ratchet did not withdraw from the merge after the sparklet and he formed the Sire bond.

“What are you doing?” Bulkhead asked spark to spark.

“I want to know you, Bulkhead.” Ratchet could not lie bound as they were spark to spark and Bulkhead to feel the shy curiosity of the medic and his shame over his dismissive feelings toward Bulkhead.

“You sure?” Bulkhead asked once spark to spark.

He felt Ratchet’s firm confirmation.  Bulkhead opened his spark to its fullest and allowed Ratchet in.

Ratchet was amazed at the warm affection Bulkhead held for him and respect he held for his medical abilities and leadership abilities when Prime was missing.  Ratchet could see memories and feelings of Bulkhead’s life.   The strongest feelings were the most recent.  Bulkhead was overjoyed and deeply in love with his sparkling with a myriad of hopes and dreams.  Ratchet could see and feel Bulkhead’s deep affection and devotion for Miko, and pain and loss over Wheeljack leaving.  Bulkhead held a deep respect and high esteem for his Prime, a warm protectiveness for Bumblebee and a grudging respect for all the Arcee was and had overcome.  He admired her spunk.  Underneath was searing loneliness and feelings of inadequacy.  Ratchet could see Bulkhead’s point of view in all the events that had transpired since they came to Earth.

Ratchet moved deeper into Bulkhead’s memories into his time with the Wreckers.  He saw the many battles and secret missions they went on.  He saw the loyalty, camaraderie and love that all of the Wreckers held for one another and Bulkhead.  Ratchet was amazed to see Bulkhead and the others fighting, bandaging, holding, laughing & playing, or twined together in twos or threes in the throes of ecstasy so intense that even the memories took Ratchet’s ventilations.  Ratchet could hardly believe the intense interfacing experiences that Bulkhead had been part.  

Ratchet moved even deeper to the memories of the large Wrecker in his role as a construction worker and found the same deep camaraderie and passion in Bulkhead’s interactions with his friends and fellow workers. 

Ratchet painfully realized that Bulkhead’s feelings of loneliness and inadequacy didn’t start until he became part of Team Prime.  No one until Team Prime had found Bulkhead ugly or unworthy of desire.  Ratchet spiraled away from the merge at that knowledge and found himself wholly within his own frame.  He ventilated hard at the revelations and tried to catch his bearings.

For Bulkhead’s part, he had seen the intense drive Ratchet had to heal and the pain and guilt he carried for each life lost or as in Bumblebee’s case what he could not remedy. He saw the anger and sarcasm that Ratchet built up to hide the pain. Bulkhead also saw that Ratchet had not had a lover for millions of vorns when his last lover died in a battle.  He saw Ratchet’s time as Minister of Health within the Cybertronian government and his hatred of the politics that destroyed so many as well as his exiting of politics to become a humble doctor in the run down sections of Iacon.  Bulkhead could see the long and deep friendship that Ratchet had with Orion/Optimus as well as the infrequent interfacing the two engaged in to relieve tension.  Bulkhead snorted mentally at the rather straightforward interfacing between the two as simplistic and boring.  Ratchet sent a blast of irritation at Bulkhead’s estimation of his skills.  Bulkhead sent a wave of wry humor toward Ratchet.  He felt Ratchet’s complete shock at the revelations of Bulkhead’s loneliness in Team Prime and felt Ratchet’s spark pull back from his. 

Ratchet looked into the optics across from his, “I had no idea.  Forgive me.”  Ratchet tentatively reached across the short distance to touch the faceplates of the large, green Wrecker.  He would never see Bulkhead in the same light, and wondered how he had ever held the opinion that Bulkhead was dimwitted, clumsy or ugly.

Bulkhead smiled wearily and said, “You are forgiven.” 

Bulkhead was never one to carry grudges.  He pulled Ratchet close so their chest plates touched, and the sparklet could feel the energy of both of its parents.  Ratchet relaxed against Bulkhead and fell into an exhausted recharge.   Bulkhead sighed with contentment and felt along the Carrier bond to his sparklet and found it also at peace.  He closed his optics and fell into recharge.


	7. Chapter 7

The day passed quietly in base.  Optimus eventually came up from recharge and went out on afternoon patrol.  He had noticed the quiet camaraderie between Bulkhead and Ratchet as they did maintenance and rotated out on monitor duties.  Arcee and Bumblebee each went to their separate recharge rooms to get a bit of rest before heading out to pick up the children and go on patrol later.

Optimus was returning from patrol, and he watched as Bulkhead, Arcee and Bumblebee left to retrieve their wards. He could see Ratchet standing outside watching the others leave with a nervous look on his faceplates.

Optimus transformed and stood quietly beside his old friend.

“I asked Bulkhead to take a drive with me later this evening.”  Ratchet said out of the blue.  Optimus nodded his head.

“A date?” Optimus dared to ask.

Ratchet huffed and snarked, “Good Primus, no.  I just want to get to know the Carrier of my sparkling.  I saw many things, but we broke from the merge too early to know about Bulkhead’s younglinghood.  He agreed to go out on a drive with me.  Said he wants to show me a cool place.  I am worried about what his idea of cool may be.  I don’t want to go mucking through a swamp to look at frogs or scouting out old energon mines to look at rocks.”

Optimus was happy that Ratchet had accepted the sparkling as his.  “I doubt Bulkhead is going to take you any place that would make you uncomfortable.”

Ratchet just gave the Prime a pointed look, “We’ll see.”

Both ‘bots went back inside the base.  Before too long, they could hear the sounds of the others returning and transforming.  Soon the base was a cacophony of noise from the children all talking at once asking Bulkhead and Ratchet about the sparkling and the activities from the night before.

Once again, Ratchet explained that yes the sparklet accepted him as Sire.  Yes, he was going to be a daddy in human terms.  He also answered a few more technical terms about the carrying process for the children.

Soon the children grew bored talking about science and moved off to play video games.  Bulkhead spent a couple of hours with Miko listening to her play her guitar.  She had learned a new song and was eager to show it off for Bulkhead.  Of course, it was metal, and while the children enjoyed her playing immensely, it sent Ratchet and Optimus from the Rec. Room cringing from the ringing in their audios.

“Primus above, the sparkling is going to be born deaf if it has to listen to that garbage inside Bulkhead.” Ratchet spat.  He hated metal music with a passion.

Optimus laughed, “I doubt that.  It will probably emerge and find the music soothing from its time within Bulkhead.”

“Primus help us all.” Ratchet said as he threw his hands to the sky in supplication.

Bulkhead had noticed the hasty retreat of the Prime and Ratchet when Miko began to play her guitar.  He stayed to listen to her play through a couple of more sets before he decided it was time to go.

“Miko, I gotta go.  Ratchet and I are going for a drive.”  Bulkhead gently lifted her from his shoulder and set her down.

“Whatever for?” Miko groused. 

“Well, we are having a sparkling together.  We need to spend some time together every day so the sparklet feels the energy of its Sire.”  That wasn’t the only reason, but he didn’t voice the other reasons.  Miko got strange ideas sometimes.

Miko pouted for a bit then waved goodbye as Bulkhead left to find Ratchet.  He found Ratchet in the medbay cataloging medical supplies.

“Geez, do you ever stop working?” Bulkhead said as he entered the medbay.

Ratchet just shrugged.  “Things need to get done.”  He put away the supplies.

“You ready, Hatchet?”

“Yeah, where are we going?” Ratchet decided to ignore Bulkhead’s nickname.  It did him no good to tell him not to call him “Hatchet.”

“It’s not far and a surprise.” Bulkhead grinned.  He knew Ratchet hated the unknown.

Ratchet scowled but didn’t say anything as he transformed into his vehicle mode.  Bulkhead transformed seconds later and led the way out of the base.  Both drove in comfortable silence for some miles.  Bulkhead left the highway and began a slow trek up a meandering gravel road.  Ratchet was not happy to be leaving the highway and his suspicions about frogs and rocks were heightened.

The gravel road came to an abrupt end and Bulkhead transformed.  Ratchet did the same. 

“Where are we going?” Ratchet spat in frustration.

Bulkhead patted his shoulder strut.  “Calm down, Ratchet.  Just a bit further.  Nothing to scratch ya pretty paint.”

Ratchet knew Bulkhead was being sarcastic as his paint job was pretty scratched to begin with, but he held his glossa and followed the big ‘bot as he made his way up the forest line into the foothills of the mountain range.  They walked at a steady incline for about a breem before Bulkhead came to a stop.  Ratchet almost ran into the broad back of Bulkhead.

“Here we are, Ratchet.”

“We came out here to see the forest?” Ratchet said as he looked up at the trees scowling.

Bulkhead turned and laughed, “No…over there!”  Bulkhead moved out of the way and pointed.  Ratchet gasped at the sight.

Through the trees was a huge lake that probably had been a strip mine a century before.  Now it was filled to the brim with water and still.  It was mirror-like in its finish.  Trees, clouds, stars and the full moon reflected back perfectly.  No breeze marred the perfect effect.  They both looked down at the lake in contemplative silence.

Bulkhead sat down and pulled Ratchet down beside him.  “What do you think?”

It reminded Ratchet of a reflecting pool back on Cybertron and he told Bulkhead.  “That is what I thought.  I found it by accident some time back.  I come here to be alone and think.  Miko has never seen this place.”

Ratchet realized what a private and special place this was for Bulkhead.  “Thank you for sharing it with me, Bulkhead.”

Bulkhead put his arm around Ratchet and pulled him close. Ratchet could feel the sparklet sending out waves of warmth toward Ratchet.  Ratchet sent waves of love and tenderness back to it.  They sat there for some time enjoying the sparklet’s energy.

Ratchet broke the silence, “Tell about your younglinghood, Bulkhead.”

Bulkhead stared at the lake lost in thought. 

“Not much to tell.   I was an only sparkling.  Both my Sire and Carrier were poor construction mechs.  I don’t remember my Sire very well.  Right after I was able to stay out of my parent’s chest plates and just entered younglinghood, my Sire was offlined when a building collapsed.  My Carrier worked long hard hours to keep us in energon and a roof over our helms.  When I was old enough, I started helping to go through waste at the construction sites for anything that could be used or sold like the rest of the younglings.  Many times, the energon we had was the lowest grade and full of impurities.  My Carrier tried.  He loved me, but the life went out of him when my Sire died.  About a vorn after I came of age, I woke from recharge one solar rise to find that my Carrier had passed to the Well to be reunited with my Sire.  I continued to work in construction.  I had my Sire’s build and strength and initially I was modified with wrecking balls for demolition.  The foreman soon learned I had my Carrier’s eye for details and I learned wiring, plumbing, etc.  I enjoyed my job and my life.  Then the war happened.  I know most of the low castes joined the ‘Cons, but the destruction and murdering of anyone who didn’t agree with them didn’t sit right with me.  I joined the Autobots.  Got my first real physical and health upgrades as well as a decent meal in boot camp.  I was a regular grunt for many vorns.  Eventually, the higher ups decided they could make good use of my demolition and construction abilities with the Wreckers.  I loved being a Wrecker.”

Ratchet nodded.  He sifted through the shared memories stored in his files from their merge.

“Why did you leave them?”

“Eh…the Wreckers were starting to break up anyway.  We lost so many of us; and as the ‘Cons and ‘Bots scattered beyond Cybertron and our colonies, there just wasn’t the need for a black ops group like the Wreckers.  I heard that an opening was available in Team Prime.  I jumped at the chance to work with Prime.  I thought you guys would need a black ops demolition expert.  Instead, I got sent back out as a regular grunt again.”

Bulkhead shrugged and fell silent.  Ratchet felt the sting of reproach listening to Bulkhead’s story.

“And you, doc bot?”

Ratchet sighed and thought about his life.

“My Carrier was a doctor.  My Sire had a seat on the Council.  I was one of many sparklings.  My Carrier always seemed to either be carrying or taking care of a sparkling.  It was a grand, raucous younglinghood.  We were a big happy family.  I don’t remember wanting for anything.  I was sheltered from the worst aspects of our society.  When I came of age, I went to Iacon University and learned medicine with a concentration in neurocircuitry.   My internship was in a rundown section of Iacon.  It was my first contact with the poor and derelict.  It shook me to my spark.  After I graduated, the Great War happened, and I joined to fight the invaders.   It was a long, hard war, but we threw out the Quintessons, and Cybertron remained home to Cybertronians.”

 “After the war, I used my Sire’s influence to get into the Ministry of Health.  I was going to change how the lower castes were afforded medical care.  I had never forgotten the suffering in the slums, and there were so many more suffering from the war.  I was so naïve.  I struggled with the government and council for thousands of vorns gaining a reputation as a troublemaker and upstart.  Eventually, I gave it up and went into slums of Iacon to open a clinic with my earnings and my inheritance from my parents.  I met Orion’s parents when he was a sparkling.  They weren’t poor, but I had a reputation as a doctor and they searched me out.  They had a burden for the poor, too.  They helped out with energon for the homeless and other such things.  Then Megatron happened, and Orion became Optimus Prime.  I followed Optimus and have ever since.”

Ratchet fell quiet thinking about all the events that had happened in Team Prime.  He leaned in closer to the warmth of the large ‘bot next to him. 

Bulkhead broke the silence with a great yawn.  “Sorry, Ratchet, but I am beat. Let’s get back.”

Both made their way back to the road and transformed.  They chatted on mundane things on the way back to the base.  Bulkhead took the children home for the night as Arcee and Bumblebee made ready for the night patrol.  Optimus was at the monitors.  Ratchet took over for the graveyard shift. 

When Bulkhead returned, he went took his evening energon and went to his own quarters to recharge.


	8. Chapter 8

Ratchet had a quiet graveyard shift on monitor duty. He watched Arcee and Bumblebee as they did their night patrols. For whatever reasons the Decepticons were laying low, probably licking their wounds after the Orion Pax debacle.  Ratchet was not going to complain after all the events in the preceding months.

All too soon, the sun was beginning to lighten the sky in purple hues slowly bleeding into red and orange.  Ratchet could hear Arcee and Bumblebee return.  Bumblebee made a few clicks of good night to Arcee as he sat down at the monitor to take over for Ratchet.  Arcee would catch a few hours of recharge and then take monitor duty as Prime took the day patrol.  Ratchet gave a small smile to the young scout taking his place.  Ratchet then rose to go to his own recharge room to recharge before taking over duties in the base.

Ratchet keyed the code to his room and threw himself on his berth feeling tired in processor and protoform.  He tried to cycle down to recharge, but recharge remained elusive.  Ratchet tossed and turned trying to cycle down into recharge.  Something was niggling at his processor…then it hit him, and he jerked upright and left his room immediately grumbling down the hall.  He used the medical override codes to Bulkhead’s recharge room and found the big guy recharging sprawled all over the berth. 

Ratchet growled.  He couldn’t recharge unless he was near the sparklet.  He went over to the berth and tapped Bulkhead gently.  Bulkhead mumbled and turned over to face the wall. 

“Good enough.” Ratchet murmured and crawled into the berth and against the larger ‘bot.  He threw his arm around Bulkhead’s broad back and curled close feeling the sparklet’s energy soothe him into recharge.

Ratchet awoke a few hours later to find Bulkhead snuggled around him.  Bulkhead’s ventilations ghosted across his neck cables causing Ratchet to shiver from the ticklish sensation.  Ratchet felt for the sparklet, and felt its tiny burst of warmth at the touch.  Ratchet’s spark was overjoyed at the tiny sparklet’s nascent love.  They silently sent bursts of tenderness and love back and forth.  Ratchet felt himself falling back into recharge.  He knew he really should get up and get to his other duties, but he couldn’t pull himself away.  He sent a data burst to Prime and Bee about sleeping in.

Bee returned a data burst full of naughty innuendos.  Ratchet huffed but did not reply.  Prime responded that he would take over for Ratchet and Bulkhead.  Ratchet sent a spark felt thank you to the Prime and fell back into recharge.

Bulkhead woke hours later to find Ratchet sprawled over him.  Bulkhead was desperate to get up.  His fuel tank was empty and his waste tank was full.  Bulkhead groaned and pushed at Ratchet.

“Ratchet, I gotta get up.”  Bulkhead was getting frantic.

Ratchet was out like a light.  Bulkhead didn’t want to wake Ratchet, but the idea of purging his waste tank in the berth and passing out from lack of fuel was unacceptable.  Bulkhead pushed Ratchet unceremoniously off of him onto the floor.  Ratchet yelped as he hit the floor.  Ratchet shook his helm and onlined his optics to Bulkhead’s wobbly rushing from the recharge room.

“What in Unicron’s damned pit is going on?” Ratchet yelled at Bulkhead’s retreating back.

Ratchet got to his peds and followed Bulkhead.  “I got this Ratchet.  I don’t need ya to hold my hand.  I do need some energon, though.” Bulkhead snapped as he slammed the door of the waste reclamation unit shut.

Ratchet stared myopically at the door for a moment and began to chuckle.  Increased energon and additive consumption meant increased urgency to void. 

“Can you make it back to your recharge room?” Ratchet asked through the door.

“A bit dizzy, but I’ll make it.” Bulkhead murmured.  Primus on a pogo stick, this was embarrassing.

Bulkhead finished up in the unit and slowly made his way back to his recharge room leaning against the wall to keep from falling.  Ratchet poked his helm out of the door at the sound of something large scraping across the walls.  Ratchet immediately went to assist Bulkhead.

Bulkhead snarled at Ratchet, “I am alright, Hatchet!”

Ratchet went to snarl back at Bulkhead, but immediately shut his lip plates at the angry, embarrassed and ashamed expression on the larger mech.

“Bulkhead, you are Carrying, are undernourished right now and suffering from vertigo.  Let me help you.  As for what happened earlier, you are going to have an increasing urgency to void your waste tank as your protoform is using more energon and additives.  It will continue to increase as the sparkling grows and puts pressure on your internals.”

Bulkhead slid down in a heap on the floor with is ventilations coming in gasps.  “I hate this, Ratchet.”

Ratchet understood Bulkhead’s feelings of weakness. “I know, Bulkhead.  I am here for you as well as the sparkling.  Please let me help you.”

Bulkhead nodded wearily.  Ratchet helped to get Bulkhead up on his peds and slowly walked him back to his berth room.  Bulkhead was eased onto the berth.  Ratchet offered him a cube of adulterated high grade energon.  Bulkhead waved him off.

“I’ll purge if I try.”

“Let me put it directly into your venous port.  You are too weak right now to do any work.  You are off all duty until your levels are what they should be.  Don’t want you collapsing.”

“How long will that be?” Bulkhead looked like he was going to cry at being put on medical leave.

“Probably about a month…”

“Frag…the sparklet will be ready to descend at that time.” Bulkhead groused.

“The sparklet’s descending will take only a day or so.  After that, you’ll be cleared for light duty again.  It isn’t the end of the world.  I know you don’t want to sit around doing nothing.  Surely you have a hobby or an interest?”  Ratchet removed an IV set up from his storage and began the process of getting much needed energon into Bulkhead.  Though for the life of him, Ratchet could not even begin to fathom what Bulkhead did to entertain himself.  Their spark merge hadn’t been deep enough or long enough to give a full exchange of memories and personality.

Bulkhead leaned back against the wall behind his berth and ventilated deeply trying to get past the vertigo and nausea.   The rush of energon into his systems began to soothe and warm his overwrought protoform.  Bulkhead felt his directional sensors calibrate correctly, and the room stopped spinning allowing the nausea to abate.

“Architecture.”  Bulkhead said after some time.

“Huh?” Ratchet asked distractedly as he ran scans on Bulkhead’s protoform, spark and gestational chamber.

“My hobby or interest.  I always had an interest in architecture.  Most science is beyond me, but I get the principals of architecture.  I had my first introduction to architectural principals when I was a construction worker.  I had to learn to read blueprints and designs…my interest grew from there.  I could not afford to go to university to study, and I doubt a low caste like me would have been allowed admittance.  I studied what I could on my own and from the architects and other engineers at the projects.  Later in the Wreckers, I got the chance to see different architectural developments on our colonies’ and allies’ planets as well as acquire their treatises on the subject.  Haven’t had much time since we came to Earth, but I would like to study human architectural theory.  I strongly suspect there are universal principals to architecture no matter the planet and species.”

Bulkhead noticed Ratchet had stopped working and was staring intently at Bulkhead. “Do you have your own designs?” Ratchet asked amazed.  The Autobot base needed expansion and upgrades for the crew in general and the coming sparkling in particular.   Ratchet was at a loss on how to go about the much needed renovations.  His scientific training had been primarily in Cybertronian medicine, and he had picked up other skills in the war with the Quintessons as well as the current civil war, but architectural design was beyond Ratchet’s training or experience.

“Yeah…go look in my storage closet.  You’ll find data cubes.” Bulkhead said a bit shyly.  He had never shown any ‘bot or other sentient life forms his designs.  He wasn’t sure if they were good.  They felt right to him.  He thought his formulas and designs were correct and sure, but he had never had any outside critique or mentoring.

Ratchet stood and went to Bulkhead’s storage closet and retrieved a data cube with glyphs indicating building designs.  He immediately onlined the cube.  Completed scale designs immediately swirled into 3-D holographic display.  Ratchet gasped at the harmony and beauty and could feel the inherent correctness and rightness of the design.  The design was a large municipal building that combined differing Cybertronian styles with colonial styles in a hybrid form that was beautiful as well as sturdy.

“You did this?” Ratchet turned to face Bulkhead.

Bulkhead nodded uncertainly.  He wasn’t sure about Ratchet’s actions.

Ratchet began to laugh as he put the cube back on the shelf.  He turned, went to the berth Bulkhead was sitting on and hugged Bulkhead.

“You big, green genius!  I have just the thing for you to do in your down time and going forward.  You are going to study this planet’s architecture and materials to design an extension of this base.  We need actual living quarters for all of us, a nursery for the sparkling…and all kinds of other stuff I could not begin to figure out how to do.  The rest of us will help you build it along with whoever Agent Fowler will assign to us.”  Ratchet was euphoric.

Bulkhead looked shocked.  “Are you sure?  I have never…”

“Bulkhead, you can do this.  I know you can.  If you feel unsure, let’s bring the idea up to Optimus.  Orion was an archivist and probably had a good general knowledge as well as Optimus who has the Wisdom of the Primes since the Thirteen did build Cybertron.”

Bulkhead nodded.  Ratchet noticed he was still hugging Bulkhead and felt awkward.  It had felt natural to be laughing and holding Bulkhead until he noticed he was doing it.  He slowly released Bulkhead who was looking shy and uncertain.  Ratchet noticed Bulkhead’s form had totally absorbed the energon through the IV.

“Feeling dizzy or nauseous?” Ratchet asked moving back into medic mode to shield his confusion over holding the big, green Wrecker.

“Nope.  Feeling right as rain.” Bulkhead joked to relieve the tension.

Ratchet looked confused, “What does rain have to do with you feeling well?”

Bulkhead laughed, “Not a damned thing.” Ratchet really looked puzzled. “Hatchet, you really gotta learn American.”

Ratchet shook his helm and dismissed Bulkhead’s teasing.  He’d look up the idiom later.  “Let’s go talk to Optimus.”

Bulkhead gathered a few of his data cubes and followed Ratchet out to find Prime.


	9. Chapter 9

Ratchet pinged Optimus as he led Bulkhead down to Optimus meeting room.  Optimus met them and listened intently to what Ratchet and Bulkhead had to present and looked at the data cubes that Ratchet had brought of Bulkhead’s designs.  Optimus was pleasantly surprised at Bulkhead’s knowledge and Ratchet’s idea.

“I think Ratchet has a valid idea, Bulkhead.  You may gather resources on human architecture and building materials to begin developing an expansion of the base.”

Bulkhead looked nervous and nodded slowly. “I’ll try, Prime.  Remember, I am just a self trained amateur…”

Optimus held his hand up to silence Bulkhead, “You underestimate yourself.  Ratchet has faith in you as do I.  You will do well.” 

Optimus turned to Ratchet, “I want Bulkhead off of maintenance…”

Ratchet interrupted, “Bulkhead about passed out this morning.  I want him off duty until his protoform’s health is at optimum and the sparklet drops into his gestation tank.”

Bulkhead gave Ratchet a sour look and Optimus grinned at it.  “That gives you plenty of time to research, Bulkhead.”

“I can’t stay cooped up in this base, Prime.  My processor will glitch.” Bulkhead groused.

Optimus nodded at that.  “I agree you need physical activity.  You are not to engage Decepticons but you are welcome to leave the base as long as Ratchet accompanies you.”

Ratchet glared at Prime and privately commed him. _“I have many duties here.”_

_“You need to get out more, Ratchet.  It will also give you a chance to get to know Bulkhead better.”_

Bulkhead was well aware of the private chatter between the two.  Ratchet huffed at something Prime said.  Prime gave a gentle smile.  “I think that will be all now.” Optimus said gently dismissing the two Autobots.

The next month passed uneventfully.  Bulkhead began to research human architecture and was fascinated at some of the ideas he found, and he began to have nascent ideas of how to expand the base.  He spent as much time as he could with Miko.  Bulkhead picked her up as much as he was able always with Ratchet in tow.  Miko groused about it, but soon began to warm up to the snarky, old medic.  She found he gave as good as he got.  Ratchet didn’t always understand Miko and Bulkhead’s language or topics nor could he abide their mutual interest in metal and rock, but he grudgingly admitted to himself that Miko would make a great human guardian to Bulkhead’s coming sparkling.  Arcee and Bumblebee settled into their new relationship and weren’t always welded at the hip anymore.  Both made a point to spend time with Bulkhead.  Bumblebee teased Ratchet mercilessly about fragging Bulkhead which sent Ratchet into sputters. Arcee slowly warmed up to Bulkhead and found a confidant.  Optimus watched with great happiness Bulkhead’s acceptance into Team Prime.  He also contacted Agent Fowler with the ideas of expanding the base.  Agent Fowler said he would do what he could.  The idea of Bulkhead being pregnant gave Agent Fowler a headache every time he thought about it.

Bulkhead and Ratchet spent time together and did get to know each other rather well.  They were becoming good friends and developing a strong foundation for the coming sparkling.  While they recharged with each other, Ratchet seemed to have no desire for the large Wrecker.  For Bulkhead’s part, he was beginning to desire the old medic, but he felt Ratchet had no such inclinations.  While it pained Bulkhead, he was grateful for Ratchet’s friendship and Sire bond with the sparkling.

One day, Bulkhead was lounging on his berth when he felt a strange feeling in his spark.  He felt pressure and pulling in his spark.  He immediately pinged Ratchet, “I think the sparklet is separating from my spark.”

“Be right there.” Ratchet commed back. 

Minutes later, Ratchet entered their shared quarters.  Bulkhead looked scared.  Ratchet felt along the Sire bond to the sparklet.  He could feel its awareness focused on pulling away from its Carrier’s spark.

“It’s okay, Bulkhead.” Ratchet laid a comforting arm on the large shoulder.  “Why don’t you open up your plates and let me take a look.”

Bulkhead did as he was asked.  Ratchet could see the sparklet trying to pull itself away from the corona of Bulkhead’s spark.  He could see tendrils of energy still holding the small golden sparklet, but they were thinning.

“Bulkhead, everything is progressing normally.”  Ratchet said soothingly.  “Why don’t you fuel up and try to read.  I’ll stay here and monitor things.  I’ll let Optimus know.” 

Bulkhead smiled in relief and relaxed in his berth feeling confident in Ratchet’s diagnosis.  Ratchet data burst Optimus with the news.  The Prime let the children and his other Autobots know as they were collected in the Rec. Room.  Bumblebee beeped and waved his door wings in happiness.  Arcee looked pleased and thoughtful.  Miko jumped up and howled with delight.  Jack and Raf just laughed at the antics of Miko.

Hours passed slowly.  Bulkhead would feel pulling peak and then pressure as the tendrils holding the sparklet slowly broke.  Bulkhead paced back and forth, his reading long forgot.  Ratchet would slowly rub the large Wrecker’s back struts when a tendril would begin to break.  It was not painful but very unnerving for the Bulkhead and his fears for the sparklet would peak.  The sparklet would pulse to its Sire and Carrier its determination to free itself as well as its wellbeing.  Ratchet was not as calm as most would have thought, but he kept himself calm for the sake of the Carrier of his sparkling.  He sent warm pulses of love and encouragement to the sparklet.   In the wee hours of the morning, Ratchet checked on the progress.  Only one tendril of energy remained attaching the sparklet to Bulkhead’s spark.

“Alright, big guy.  This is it.” Ratchet said with some excitement.  “The sparklet will detach completely from your spark very soon.  You will feel a loss of immediate physical connection, and you will need to feel for the sparklet to reassure it and you.  It will orbit your spark for a few hours to rest and regain its energy.  While it is doing that, a charge will be building between your spark and the conduit leading to your gestation chamber.  When the charge peaks, the sparklet will be able to drop into the conduit to your gestational chamber, and its waiting spark chamber.  After the sparklet descends and settles, the residual charge will be in your reproductive system.  Interfacing is the fastest way to get it to dissipate…”

Bulkhead listened intently to Ratchet’s explanation until he got to interfacing then he sat up with a jolt and looked horrified, “You have got to be kiddin’ me!”

Ratchet was confused, “Well, if you prefer you can wait for the charge to dissipate without interfacing, but your reproductive system and protoform are going to very uncomfortable.”

Bulkhead’s faceplates looked anguished. 

Ratchet was worried “What’s wrong?” he whispered.

Bulkhead sobbed, “Who wants to interface with me?  Everyone has become my friend…”  He broke off and gasped as the final tendril broke.

“Reach for the sparklet…that’s it…”Ratchet saw panic flash across Bulkhead’s faceplates and then relief as the sparklet and Bulkhead communicated.  Ratchet sent a pulse of comfort to the sparklet.  Ratchet monitored the sparklet as it orbited Bulkhead’s spark checking for abnormalities with the sparklet or Bulkhead.  Everything was normal.

Ratchet then refocused on Bulkhead.  “The sparklet and your spark are fine.”  Ratchet then reached out and caressed the large Wrecker’s cheek plate.  “I will interface with you…”

Bulkhead angrily smacked Ratchet’s hand away.  “I am not Prime and, I don’t need a pity frag or a frag for medical purposes…”  

Ratchet harshly grabbed Bulkhead by his helm and pulled him in for a harsh, deep kiss.  Bulkhead gasped and found his oral cavity filled with the glossa of Ratchet.  Ratchet kissed Bulkhead thoroughly with some skill and pulled back to glare at Bulkhead.  Bulkhead’s fans were whirring to cool is internal temperatures and looking at Ratchet with shock.

“What…” Bulkhead tried to speak absently touching his kiss swollen lip plates.

Ratchet glared at him, “I never frag anyone for any other reason than desire…get that through your processor, Bulkhead.”

Then with more gentleness and a bit of embarrassment he added, “You chose me for the Sire of your child for very rational and sound reasons…since we merged, I haven’t found you ugly or undesirable…but I know I am not what most ‘Bots want…I am old…”

Bulkhead began to laugh uproariously.  “Here, I thought you were avoiding me because I am ugly, and you thought I was avoiding you because you are old and mean.”  Bulkhead rocked back and forth laughing hysterically as he held his abdominal plates and wheezing to catch his intakes.  Tears ran down his faceplates.

Ratchet looked gob smacked at Bulkhead’s reaction.  He didn’t know what to say or do.    Bulkhead reached out, grabbed Ratchet and pulled him to the berth.

Bulkhead then said with some mischief, “I think it is time for me to stop being so damned polite because I am on Team Prime and just act like a Wrecker…”

He began to kiss Ratchet senseless while caressing and stroking him in places he hadn’t known were sensitive.  Ratchet thought he was going to overload from a kiss and few touches and pushed Bulkhead away.

“What in the Pit does acting like a Wrecker mean?” Ratchet’s fans were working hard to cool his internals, and he was panting because he was still too hot.  Primus Ratchet hadn’t been kissed or touched like that in his entire existence.  He had forgotten that Bulkhead had extensive experience interfacing with the Wreckers and even before.

Bulkhead had a devilish glint in his optics and replied, “We state what we want and take it.”  He reached out for Ratchet who ducked under Bulkhead’s arms and jumped out of the berth.

“Hold on, Bulkhead.  Let’s wait until the sparklet descends.  You need the charge…” Ratchet tried to explain.

Bulkhead tackled Ratchet pinning him to the floor and proceeded to lick Ratchet’s audios. “I don’t need to overload just yet…I can wait…makes it better.”

Ratchet shuddered in anticipation at whatever Bulkhead had planned.


	10. Chapter 10

Ratchet groaned as he felt Bulkhead’s glossa and fingers all over his frame and protoform. Ratchet’s interface panel opened and his spike was revealed in all its glory.  Bulkhead chuckled at the sight.

“Not gonna get a chance to use that, Ratchet.” Bulkhead swallowed Ratchet’s spike completely and proceeded to give Ratchet the best oral interface of his life.  Ratchet arched up off of the floor and keened in overload.  Bulkhead swallowed Ratchet’s release completely.  Ratchet slumped down.  At his age, he was not going to be able to reboot his spike for an Earth day or more.  He ventilated hard to cool down.  Bulkhead continued to kiss and touch Ratchet’s frame and ghosted his glossa across Ratchet’ rarely used valve.

“Bulkhead!” Ratchet gasped out, “I am not a valve mech…”

Bulkhead laughed causing vibrations to run deliciously through Ratchet’s valve. “Ultra Magnus though that too until Jackie and I double teamed him…afterwards couldn’t hardly get him to top.”

Bulkhead returned to playing with Ratchet’s frame.  He licked, nipped and caressed the old medic’s interface panel and thighs coming up from time to time to kiss Ratchet and lave his glossa on Ratchet’s neck and the sensitive seam that would separate to reveal Ratchet’s spark.  Ratchet was aroused but out of sorts.  It felt wonderful to have Bulkhead’s gentle and complete attention, but Ratchet was not used to being on the receiving end of that kind of attention.

Ratchet wiggled out from under Bulkhead, “You don’t get it.  I have tried…I can’t overload from valve stimulation…anyway you need to interface…”  Ratchet sat up and pulled his legs and wrapped his arms around his knee joints.

Bulkhead huffed, “Ratchet, I am not Prime.  Primus, I am starting to sound like a broken record.  I am not submissive or dominant.  I go with how I feel at the moment.  I don’t need to be on the receiving end of an interface to dissipate the charge do I?”

Ratchet looked thoughtful, “Well, no…let’s see if the sparklet has descended.”  Ratchet was trying to put off for time.

Bulkhead huffed to let Ratchet he was not fooled and opened his chest plates.  Ratchet could see the sparklet was circling at the very edge of Bulkhead’s spark and was starting to descend. 

“You are going to feel a peak in energy in a few minutes as the sparklet descends.”

Bulkhead nodded and turned his focus inward to feel the nascent awareness of the sparklet with its renewed vigor and desire to descend.  Ratchet did the same.  The both monitored the sparklet until it descended down the conduit and settled into Bulkhead’s gestational chamber.  Bulkhead gasped at the energy coursing through his frame and reproductive system.  His spike immediately sprang from its housing.   Ratchet marveled at its size and girth.

Ratchet ran a scan on Bulkhead and found the sparklet completely descended into its spark chamber and beating at a regular rhythm.

“It’s done.” Ratchet said.

Bulkhead grinned wickedly, grabbed Ratchet by the peds and pulled him back, “Then I’m lick ya valve till you overload, gonna spike you Ratchet, and you are gonna overload again.” Bulkhead immediately buried his faceplates in Ratchet’s thighs and began to lave wet patterns on his thighs, seams and valve.

The next morning Ratchet woke from recharge much later than usual.  He hissed as his joints creaked and crackled while he moved to sit up on the floor. He was too old to be recharging on the floor.  Ratchet noticed his interface panel was still open and sent a command for it to close.  As he stood, he groaned at the soreness in his hip joints and valve.

Bulkhead has spent the rest of the night cycle showing Ratchet the wonders of his valve.  It had been hours later when Bulkhead finally allowed himself to overload after wringing successively more intense overloads from Ratchet.  In the end, Ratchet had been howling from pleasure and pain of over sensitive nodes. 

Ratchet hauled himself off of the floor and leaned heavily on the berth feeling a gush of old transfluids from his valve.  It coated his interface panel and trickled thickly down his thighs.  Ratchet felt along the Sire bond and felt for the sparkling.  It responded in a strong, healthy burst of energy and affection.  Ratchet smiled to himself and returned the warmth and love.  Ratchet then noticed that Bulkhead was not present. 

“Bulkhead?” Ratchet commed him.

“Yeah, Hatchet?” Bulkhead teased back.

“Where are you?” Ratchet asked.

“In the wash rack…care to join me?” Bulkhead commed back suggestively.

Ratchet ventilated heavily, “If it is for a wash, yes.  I am too sore for anything more.”

Ratchet made his way slowly to the wash racks and found Bulkhead under the spray of water and solvent.  Bulkhead motioned to him.  Ratchet stepped closer.

Bulkhead hugged Ratchet tenderly. “Sorry, didn’t mean to overdo it and hurt you.”  Bulkhead began to gently wash the old medic taking care to gently massage joints.

Ratchet guffawed but privately loved the tenderness in the large Wrecker, “I am fine, Bulkhead.  That was…intense.” Ratchet concluded and leaned into the warmth and gentle touch.

Bulkhead chuckled, “Yeah, I guess it was.  Still a spike mech?”

Ratchet laughed in relief, “I guess not…at least with you.”

Bulkhead wondered, “You still gonna be fraggin’ Prime, then?”

Ratchet looked into the optics of Bulkhead, “No.”

Bulkhead nodded then spoke, “Is this a relationship?”

Ratchet shrugged, “I am willing to try if you are.”  Ratchet was acting nonchalant but he was scared to the Pit.

Bulkhead smiled and captured Ratchet’s lip plates in a gentle kiss. “I saw you Ratchet, when we merged, I know.”  Ratchet trembled threatening to come undone from Bulkhead’s tender understanding.

Ratchet reluctantly pulled away from Bulkhead, “Let’s finish up washing and get you into med bay for a thorough workup.”

Both ‘Bots finished washing up and left together for the med bay.  Ratchet scanned Bulkhead and found that he and the sparkling were well within normal parameters.  “Bulkhead, you and the sparkling are doing fine.  You are off of medical leave and back on light duty.”

Bulkhead groaned, “I really do not want monitor duty.”

Ratchet laughed, “You don’t have to.  You can now start scouting the base and surrounding region to expand the base.  Your focus in the coming months is the sparkling and our base.”  Ratchet knew how much Bulkhead hated monitor duty.

Bulkhead clapped Ratchet on his shoulder, “Thanks.  I’m gonna take a walk around the base perimeter to get some ideas, and later we’ll go pick up Miko.”

Ratchet smiled at Bulkhead’s exuberance.  “Have fun and be careful.”

Bulkhead huffed, “Yes, mother.”

Ratchet groaned but did not rise to the bait.  He rubbed his face plates and went to find Prime to update him on the sparkling.

Ratchet found Optimus in his office working on patrol schedules.  Optimus turned to him with a twinkle in his optics.  “Good Morning, Old Friend.  I take it things went well.”

Ratchet sat down and looked uncomfortable, “You could say that.  The sparkling dropped into his gestational chamber.  Everyone is safe and sound.”

Optimus chuckled, “Judging by your screams last night, I think things went very well.  We had to gather up the children and Bumblebee took them home.”

Ratchet groaned and hid his face plates in his hands.  Arcee and Bumblebee were never going to let him live that down.  Primus only knows what Miko is going to ask.  “Primus help me.” Ratchet murmured.

Optimus then said, “Are you comfortable with what is going on with you and Bulkhead?”

“I don’t know.  I am confused.  On one hand, I am trying to pursue a relationship with Bulkhead, and on the other, I feel out of my depth.  He isn’t like anyone I have ever been involved with on an intimate level.”

“How so?” Optimus asked feeling that Ratchet needed to talk.

“He isn’t dominant or submissive when interfacing, but takes whatever role strikes him at the moment.  Not too many mechs or femmes like that…he had me overloading from my valve, Optimus.”  Ratchet’s voice lowered at the admission.  Ratchet shifted uncomfortably in the chair.

Optimus gasped at that.  It was well know that Ratchet was a dominant mech.  When they had interfaced, Optimus always took the submissive role.  Optimus needed one place where he didn’t need to be in control and relished the temporary freedom.  He strongly suspected that his casual interfacing with Ratchet had come to an end.

“Was that a bad thing?” Optimus gently queried.

“Not at the time.  It felt amazing, but today, when I am not burning with desire, I feel out of sorts.  That is not the mech I am.” Ratchet admitted.

“Is it being out of control or how you responded that bothers you?” Optimus asked.

“A bit of both.”

“Do you want to be involved with Bulkhead on that level?” Optimus pushed.  He needed to know Ratchet’s intentions.

Ratchet laughed easily, “Yes.  Bulkhead is a better mech than many know.  I enjoy our conversations.”  Ratchet also enjoyed Bulkhead’s attentiveness and ability for tenderness as well as his phenomenal berth skills but he wasn’t giving Optimus any more ammunition to tease him.

“Then my friend, you need to have a talk with Bulkhead about your discomforts.”

Ratchet looked irritable and gruffly spat out, “Good bye.”

Optimus waited until Ratchet was well out of hearing range and chuckled.  While it was never boring on Team Prime, it had gotten a lot more interesting than even the Prime could have predicted with all of his wisdom and experience.


End file.
